Populist v. Elite Forms of Democracy

While John Mueller (1, 2-3) advances the so-called elite democratic perspective suggesting that self-interest and inequality will inevitably characterize democracies, Paul Loeb (1, 1) contends that the popular democratic perspective individual actors at the grassroots can influence political systems and policies. In this essay, a defense of Loeb's (1, 1) will be offered in an argument that advances the idea that it is possible and necessary to "keep engaged those several million Americans who've just come in to peace and justice movements in the past couple years (Loeb, 2, 1)." Loeb (2, 1) makes the strongest case but it is necessary to understand that his case is based upon a conviction that ordinary men and women will at various times in their lives be challenged to become political active although Mueller (1, 2) is correct in asserting that this type of activism is unlikely to be a lifelong commitment.

Mueller (2, 62) asserts that capitalist systems which have given rise to democracies are of necessity systems in which individuals pursue their own interests, including the accumulation of wealth. Prosperous elites have

Related Essays

Christian Eschatoloical Views .... from his upbringing," ob serves Richard V. Pierard, an .... it had to develop an evangelical Populist vernacular that .... East, where the American power elite had con .... (3904 16 )

US and Arab Media Coverage of Palestinian-Israeli Conflict .... been analyzed as something of an inclusive, populist/activist movement .... which amounts to information dissemination via a media elite. .... Merina, V. (2001, October .... (9803 39 )

Category: Government - P