Political Research Seminar (395-0-22)
Topic
Oligarchs and Elites
Instructors
Jeffrey A Winters
Scott, #403
Meeting Info
Scott Hall 201 Ripton Room: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
The Occupy Wall Street protests gave us the powerful imagery of the 99 vs. the 1 percent. The world was confronted with the question "How democratic are our democracies?" When wealth, power, and privilege are distributed so unequally, how much does one-person, one-vote really matter? Theories of oligarchs and elites help us make sense of "participatory inequality," or even "domination through democracy." This seminar takes on these important topics. We will examine a range of cases and countries, with a special emphasis on the US, where elite theory arose and oligarchic theory has re-emerged. Is there a relationship between rising inequality and rising polarization within democracies? Students will find this seminar highly relevant to modern political issues.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this seminar you should have a deeper understanding of when and how extreme inequalities arose in societies, and how and why they have endured. We will look at how power is concentrated in few hands and explore the impact of major political innovations (such as the democratic form of government) on extreme inequalities of power and privilege. You should gain significant insights into the question: How can people be so equal and yet so unequal? And what, if anything, can or should be done about it?
Teaching Method
Seminar
Evaluation Method
Participation in seminar discussions; a weekly one-page "thought piece" on the readings; and a 10-15 page research paper
Class Materials (Required)
Steven Everson, ed. Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens. Cambridge University Press, 1996. 2nd edition. ISBN: 9780521484008.
John P. McCormick. Machiavellian Democracy. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780521530903.
Jeffrey A. Winters. Oligarchy. Cambridge University Press, 2011. ISBN: 9780521182980.
Class Attributes
Advanced Expression