The classical pluralist position argues that power is not concentrated in the hands of a ruling class or elite. Classical pluralism suggests:
1. Power is agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate rather than concentrated - this contrasts with both the agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate position and with elite theory.
2. In society a large number of agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate groups represent all the significant and different interests of the population. Interest group activity is an important means for people to agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate in democratic politics
3. Interest groups compete with each other for influence over agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate.
4. The competition for influence follows the 'rules of the game' - violent and illegal political action is outlawed and the agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate of the State is accepted by all participants
5. All groups accept the legitimacy of the agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate making process and of its outcome.
6. Competition between groups ensures that no one group agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate.
7. The government is a neutral agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate between interest groups.
8. The State is the neutral agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate in which interest group activity takes place
Criticisms of the Classical Pluralist Model
1. It refers only to decision making power ignoring the second and third faces of power - agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate setting and agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate power.
2. It assumes interest groups (pressure groups) are democratic organisations whereas many in reality are ruled by agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate
3. The "agendaarbiterarenadecisiondiffusedominateselitesgovernmentideologicalinterestlegtimacyMarxistneutralityparticipate" of the State is very difficult to prove