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Family Policy: Interest Group, Elite, and Systems Theories

Family Policy: Interest Group, Elite, and Systems Theories. Zimmerman, S. L. (1995). Interest group theory, elite theory, and systems theory. In S. L. Zimmerman, Understanding family policy (2nd ed., pp. 142-170). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Interest Group Theory.

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Family Policy: Interest Group, Elite, and Systems Theories

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  1. Family Policy:Interest Group, Elite, and Systems Theories Zimmerman, S. L. (1995). Interest group theory, elite theory, and systems theory. In S. L. Zimmerman, Understanding family policy (2nded., pp. 142-170). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

  2. Interest Group Theory • Assumptions (p. 143): • Groups exert the primary influence on government matters that affect families. • Group struggle and conflict characterize all meaningful political activity. • The important determinants of group influnece are • membership size, • wealth, • organizational strength, • cohesion, • and access to decision makers. • Group equilibrium is mantained through • compromise, • negotiation, • bargaining, • overlapping memberships, • formation of coalitions. Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson

  3. Assumptions of Elite Theory • “Policies and programs reflect the values and interests of elites in a hierarchically arranged society.” • “Elites share a consensus concerning existing institutional arrangements and the values underlying them.” • “The size and complexity of modern society and organizational life not only preclude the active and full participation of everyone in the political process but also require some division of labor.” • The division of labor creates a class of rulers or governing elites. Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson

  4. Types of Elite Theory • Revolving Model: power is widely dispersed to influence waxes and wanes. • Fixed Model: power remains in the hands of particular groups. • Concentric Circles of Elites: power is distributed in concentric circles. • The general or inattentive public. • The attentive public. • The policy and opinion elites. • The actors in the situation (i.e., elected officials). • Strategic Elites: people in roles of influences such as appointed advisors or heads of influential committees. Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson

  5. Assumptions of Family Policy as Systems Output • “Political life is a system of behavior.” • “A system is distinguishable from the environment in which it exists and is open to influence from it.” • “A political system is goal setting, self-transforming and adaptive, composed of human beings who are capable of anticipating, evaluating, and acting constructively to prevent disturbances in the system’s environment.” • System authorities seek to correct disturbances that might be expected to cause system stress in relation to system goals. • “Variations in system processes and structures represent alternative efforts by system members to regulate or cope with stress flowing from sources internal and external to the system.” • “The capacity of a system to survive in the face of system stress is a function of the information and feedback that return to system authorities and other influences.” Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson

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