Describe the iron law of oligarchy and explain why bureaucratic hierarchies and oligarchies go hand in hand
What will be an ideal response?
According to political sociologist Robert Michels, all organizations
encounter the iron law of oligarchy—the tendency to become a
bureaucracy ruled by the few.
His central idea was that those who control bureaucracies not only wield power but also
have an interest in retaining their power. According to Michels, the hierarchical structures of
bureaucracies and oligarchies go hand in hand. On the one hand, power may be
concentrated in the hands of a few people because rank-and-file members must inevitably
delegate a certain amount of decision-making authority to their leaders. On the other hand,
oligarchy may result when individuals have certain outstanding qualities that make it
possible for them to manage, if not control, others. The members choose to look to their
leaders for direction; the leaders are strongly motivated to maintain their power and
privileges.
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