Pluralism and Its Critics

Pluralism and Its Critics tells the story of our longstanding scholarly fascination with the ways that groups mobilize to assert their political interests. It does so by explaining the central ways by which interest groups organize and spend, and it explains how and why some groups are better positioned to exert influence than others. It presents, contextualizes, and assesses the foundational texts and ideas of the pluralist tradition, and it explores five currents of critique that demonstrate how the American interest group system perpetuates inequalities rather than levels the political playing field. In addition to this book’s unique assessment of pluralism, Matthew Dean Hindman has curated primary source excerpts by Madison, Tocqueville, Bentley, and Dahl, and he has included enlightening original material, discussion questions, and chapter assignments to illustrate main themes and foster creative engagement with them. Pluralism and Its Critics will be of great value to teachers and students of American Politics, as well as anyone interested in such themes as interest groups, economic inequality, and the role of money in politics.