Concentration of Power is an inevitable feature of all political systems. Discuss. - page 4
Keywords: concentration of power seperation theories political marxism marxist elitism elitist pluralism pluralist
By exploiit on 19/06/2010
Level: A Level (Year 13)
Page Number: 4 of 6 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6
power, and the repressive state apparatus which includes the government, the army, police system and tribunals. This acts as a coercive measure which implements a level of fear and control in society used to further support the ruling class from working class revolution.
Antonio Gramsci proposes another view. Like Poulantzas, Gramsci saw that the ruling class did not equate to the political class; instead, the state was the coming together of the repressive political society and the ideological civil society. As well as this he suggested that hegemony, complete control, was impossible. In liberal democracies, the ruling class require legitimation through election and to achieve this, Gramsci claimed that alliances would need to appear between different elements of society (church and state, for example) and with these alliances, dual concessions are a necessity. In addition to this, concessions would need to be afforded to the subject class in order for basic support to be maintained. This largely supports the Marxist idea of creating a false class consciousness, justifying and solidifying ruling class control through things like national health services and the welfare state. Gramsci noted due to this that, whilst the ruling class remained largely powerful and self-serving, the need for concessions to separate areas of society and to the subject class was proof that power was not entirely concentrated but dispersed to some extent.
Largely in contrast to both Elitist and Marxist theories, Pluralists advocate the idea that political power is not concentrated but diffused to all areas of society. According to this theory, power derives from the whole population and the state acts as a ‘neutral arbiter’ which exists to benefit the masses and act in the interests of everyone – not just an elite. This is an important aspect to pluralist thinking as representation and choice are becoming increasingly essential in multicultural societies.
Using the examples of modern liberal democracies, pluralists say that state power is not coercive but legitimate due to the facets which are in place to promote democracy. Participants in these democracies agree that these conventions, such as elections and interest groups, exist to ensure that conflict does not arise and it is for this reason that decisions resulting from such measures are respected and considered legitimate. With elections and political parties, for example, pluralists point out that the competition is generated is healthy, forcing would-be elites to propose compromises and policies which appeal to
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