Elitism theory of Power and how it affects Policy Development.

Introduction

Policy is a law, regulation, procedure, administrative action, incentive, or voluntary practice of governments and other institutions. Policy decisions are frequently reflected in resource allocations. Health can be influenced by policies in many different sectors (CDC, 2015). Power is the ability to make a state or person act or think in a way that is contrary to how they would have acted or thought otherwise and shape the course of events (Study smarter, n.d).

Elitism Theory of power

Elite theory: is a theoretical perspective according to which (1) a communitys affairs are best handled by a small subset of its members and (2) in modern societies such an arrangement is in fact inevitable. These two tenets are ideologically allied but logically separable (Maloy, J. S, 2016).

Elite theory envisions society as divided between the mass of people and a ruling minority, where the political power the power to take and impose decisions valid to the whole society always belongs to the latter.

The purpose of elite theorists is to find a scientific explanation of the fact that – no matter when or where – in every society, the majority of the existent resources ? economical, intellectual, and cultural?– are concentrated in the hands of a small group of individuals which use them to exercise power over the rest of the population.

Initially developed by Italian scholars between the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, the elite theory became crucial in political science after World War II, tackling the substantial question concerning who governs even beyond formal or constitutional appearances, and with a great impact on the debates concerning democracy and its concrete functioning (Mariotti, C, 2020).

The theory holds that in the real world there are those at the top with power and the mass (at the down) without power. The theory also contends that the elite, whose members share common value and have more money, education and power, governs the masses who are apathetic and ill-informed about public policy (Tej Raj Pokharel, n.d)

Application

Health care lobbying (its a noun relates to areas in parliament where citizens can make demand on legislators and where political makers met.

Political parties the party with greatest number of MPs can make motion pass, in addition they get more cabinet seat.

Leaders of powerful economic enterprises.

Political influential families (Kemu, 2023)

Characteristics of elite theory

In a nutshell, elite theory involves the following items:

The primary object of every elite or ruling class is to preserve power and privilege.

The rule of the elite is based upon (not-necessarily explicit) force and fraud.

The social structure is sustained by a political formula that typically correlates with a generally accepted religion, ideology or myth.

Every elite has two opposing tendencies: (a) an aristocratic tendency, by which the elite seeks to preserve the ruling position of its members and to prevent others from entering its ranks; (b) a democratic tendency by which (i) new elements force their way into the elite from below or (ii) the ruling class opens ranks and absorbs new elements from below.

In the long run, the democratic tendency always prevails. Consequently, no social structure is permanent, and no stable utopia is possible.

When the aristocratic tendency prevails, rapid shifts occur in the composition and structure of elites (e.g., social revolutions) (Damele, G., & Campos, A. S, 2022)

Assumption

It assumes that

1) Society is divided into the powerful few and the powerless many; only the few allocate values (the mass do not decide public policy).

2) The few are not typical of the mass; elites are drawn disproportionately from the upper strata.

3) There must be slow and continuous movement of non-elites into elite positions, but only after they accept elite values, in order to maintain stability and avoid revolution.

4) All elites agree on basic social system and preservation values, i.e., private property, limited government, and individual liberty.

5) Changes in public policy will be incremental rather than revolutionary, reflecting changes in elite values (not mass demands).

6) Active elites are subject to little influence from apathetic masses (California State University Long Beach, 2022).

Advantages

Due to their influence, decision can be reached at quickly e.g. trade unions.

Those that succeed and take up positions as the leading elites in their respective professions deserve their eminent positions. If they do in fact deserve to be elites, if they are, in effect, "genuine" elites, then we have on our hands an instance of "good" elitist (Kemu, 2023).

It may ensure power will always be bestowed to individuals who are wealthy, blue-blooded and alumni of schools famous for being famous.

It may encourage societies to worship individuals simply for possessing said useless qualities.

It may create a caste system in where having said qualities will immediately put us on the top (medium.com , 2018).

Disadvantages

Society is comprised of a few people with power and many without, only the few with power make public policy thus policy may reflects the value of the elite and not the masses.

Those who govern are unlike those who do not - power is based on a variety of resources - -wealth, family connections, and technical expertise, there is a reputation that they are effective at keeping g controversial issues off the policy.

Nonelites may be inducted into the governing circles if they accept the basic consensus of the existing elites this may lead to compromise and intimidation and outcome may be policy that lacks credibility

Values of the elites are conservative and consequently any policy change is likely to be incremental (KEMU, 2023).

It may rob ignorant individuals the opportunities to obtain power in their respective societies.

It may encourage societies to scorn individuals who possess those said qualities.

It may encourage a caste system where having said traits will immediately put us at the bottom (medium.com , 2018).

The implications of elitism:

First, Elitism implies that public policy does not reflect the demands of the people so much as it does the interests, values and preferences of elites. Any innovations occurred in the public policy is a result or decision by the elites on their own values and affairs. Public policies, as were all know is seldom been replaced when elite group rules. They might be frequently changed, renovated or modified. Elite perceive the policy made by them is very public-regarding. The welfare of the masses might be imperative towards elite during policy making, but it doesnt mean they may not permeate the elite values into the policy. Elitism, however does not pose any hostile or danger to the masses, its just the responsibility of publics welfare rests on the elites shoulder not upon the public itself. This is where we can see some policy; the elite values might prevail in it instead of the public itself.

Second, Elitism views the masses as largely passive, apathetic and ill informed; mass sentiments are more often manipulated by elites, rather than elite values being influenced by the sentiments of masses; and for most part, communication between elites and masses flows downward . Election and competition among political parties unable the masses to govern during the elite group rule the country. Questions upon policy are rarely decided or determined by the people through election or the presentation of policy alternatives by the parties itself. For most part of this so called democratic instruments elections, parties or propagandas - are crucial on the symbolic value only. They just wanted the masses felt they are been given a role to play on Election Day or taking part in the political system. Elitism contends that the masses have at best only an indirect influence over decision-making behavior of elites .

Third, Elitism assert that elites shares in a consensus about fundamental norms underlying that social system, that elites agree on the basic rules of the game, as well as the continuation of the social system itself. The stability of elite system and its survival hang tight on the elite consensus and agreement in the behalf of the basic values of the system. The serious consideration will be given if shared or different consensus occurs on the policy alternative. Elite group sometimes did not go parallel among each other. They compete and disagree among each other. But elitism implies that competition centers on a very narrow range of issues and that elites agrees more often they disagree.

Reference

Anderson, James E., 1984, Public Policy-Making, CBS CollegePublisl-ting, New York. California State University Long Beach (2022). Models of Public Policy-Making

CDC (2015). Definition of Policy. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/policy/opaph/process/definition.html

Damele, G., & Campos, A. S. (2022). Introduction. Elite Theory: Philosophical Challenges.?Topoi : an international review of philosophy,?41(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-022-09794-1

Dye, T. R. (2013). Understanding Public Policy. United States: Pearson Education, Inc.

Kemu(2023). HSMG 515: Fundamentals of HSM

Maloy, J. S. (2016, May 26).?elite theory.?Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/elite-theory

Mariotti, C. (2020). Elite Theory. In: Harris, P., Bitonti, A., Fleisher, C.S., Skorkj?r Binderkrantz, A. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_67-1

medium.com (2018). Pros and cons of elitism. https://dachmad.medium.com/pros-and-cons-of-elitism-5d4f806040f5

Noor Fadillah Binti Jaafar (2012). Elite Theory: Policy as Elite Preferences

Steelman, Toddi. (2005). Elite and Participatory Policymaking: Finding Balance in a Case of National Forest Planning. Policy Studies Journal. 29. 71 - 89. 10.1111/j.1541-0072.2001.tb02075.x.

Study smarter (n.d).Power in Politics retrieved from https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/politics/political-ideology/power-in-politics/

Tej Raj Pokharel (n.d). Power Approaches to Policy-Making

Walt G. (1994). Health Policy: An introduction to process and power: London: Zed Press.