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Robert Dahl
Robert Dahl
Dahl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert A. Dahl
Born
Died
Fields
Academic
advisors
Notable
students
Catherine
MacKinnon Guillermo
O'Donnell Nelson
Polsby Ian Shapiro Edward
Tufte Ray Wolfinger
Known for
Polyarchy, pluralism
Influences
Influenced
Spouse
Children
Robert Alan Dahl (/dl/; December 17, 1915 February 5, 2014) was
a political theorist and Sterling Professor of Political Scienceat Yale University.
His established the pluralist theory of democracyin which political outcomes
are enacted through competitive, if unequal, interests groupand introduced
"polyarchy" as a descriptor of actual democratic governance. An originator of
"empirical theory" and known for advancing behavioralist characterizations of
political power, Dahl's research focused on the nature of decisionmaking in
actual institutions, such as American cities. Dahl is considered one of the most
influential political social scientists of the twentieth century, and has been
described as "the dean of American political scientists."[1][2]
Dahl received his Ph.D. at Yale in 1940 and served on its political science
faculty from 1946 to 1986. His influential early books include A Preface to
Democratic Theory (1956), Who Governs? (1961), and Pluralist Democracy in
the United States (1967), which presented pluralistic explanations for political
rule in the United States.[3][4] He was elected president of the American Political
Science Association in 1966.
Contents
[hide]
1 Writings
2 Influence terms
4 Prizes
5 Criticism
6 Bibliography
7 References
8 Sources
9 Further reading
10 External links
Writings[edit]
From the late 1960s onwards, his conclusions were challenged by scholars such
as G. William Domhoff and Charles E. Lindblom (a friend and colleague of
Dahl).[6][7]
In How Democratic Is the American Constitution? (2001) Dahl argued that
the US Constitution is much less democratic than it ought to be, given that its
authors were operating from a position of "profound ignorance" about the future.
However, he adds that there is little or nothing that can be done about this "short
of some constitutional breakdown, which I neither foresee nor, certainly, wish
for." [8]
Influence terms[edit]
One of Robert Dahls many contributions is his explication of the varieties of
power, which he defines as A getting B to do what A wants. Dahl prefers
the more neutral influence terms, (Michael G. Roskin) which he arrayed on a
scale from best to worst:
1. Rational Persuasion, the nicest form of influence, means telling the truth
and explaining why someone should do something, like your doctor
convincing you to stop smoking.
2. Manipulative persuasion, a notch lower, means lying or misleading to get
someone to do something.
3. Inducement still lower, means offering rewards or punishments to get
someone to do something, i.e. like bribery.
4. Power threatens severe punishment, such as jail or loss of job.
5. Coercion is power with no way out; you have to do it.
6. Physical force is backing up coercion with use or threat of bodily harm.
Thus, we can tell which governments are best; the ones that use influence at the
higher end of the scale. The worst use the unpleasant forms of influence at the
lower end.[citation needed]
Democracy and polyarchies[edit]
Main article: polyarchy
In his book, Democracy and Its Critics (1989), Dahl clarifies his view about
democracy. No modern country meets the ideal of democracy, which is as a
theoretical utopia. To reach the ideal requires meeting five criteria:[9]
1. Effective participation
Citizens must have adequate and equal opportunities to form their
preference and place questions on the public agenda and express reasons
for one outcome over the other.
2. Voting equality at the decisive stage
Each citizen must be assured his or her judgments will be counted as
equal in weights to the judgments of others.
3. Enlightened understanding
Citizens must enjoy ample and equal opportunities for discovering and
affirming what choice would best serve their interests.
4. Control of the agenda
Demos or people must have the opportunity to decide what political
matters actually are and what should be brought up for deliberation.
5. Inclusiveness
Equality must extend to all citizens within the state. Everyone has
legitimate stake within the political process.
Instead, he calls politically advanced countries "polyarchies". Polyarchies have
elected officials, free and fair elections, inclusive suffrage, rights to run for
office, freedom of expression, alternative information and associational
autonomy. Those institutions are a major advance in that they create multiple
centers of political power.[10]
Prizes[edit]
Dahl was awarded the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science in 1995.[4]
Criticism[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
The best known of Dahl's works include:
1998 - On Democracy
References[edit]
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Jump up^ R.A. Dahl, Democracy and Its Critics, Yale University
Press, p.221
10.
Jump up^ R.A. Dahl, Democracy and Its Critics, Yale University
Press, p.222
Sources[edit]
Jeong Chun Hai @Ibrahim, & Nor Fadzlina Nawi. (2007). Principles of
Public Administration: An Introduction. Kuala Lumpur: Karisma
Publications. ISBN 978-983-195-253-5
Further reading[edit]
Shapiro, Ian, and Grant Reeher, eds Power, Inequality, and Democratic
Politics: Essays in Honor of Robert A. Dahl (Westview Press, 1988)