Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens
Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page
Abstract
Each
of four theoretical traditions in the study of American politics—which
can be characterized as theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy,
Economic-Elite Domination, and two types of interest-group pluralism,
Majoritarian Pluralism and Biased Pluralism—offers different predictions
about which sets of actors have how much influence over public policy:
average citizens; economic elites; and organized interest groups,
mass-based or business-oriented.A great deal of empirical research speaks to the policy influence of one or another set of actors, but until recently it has not been possible to test these contrasting theoretical predictions against each other within a single statistical model. We report on an effort to do so, using a unique data set that includes measures of the key variables for 1,779 policy issues.
Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.
Martin Gilens is Professor of Politics at Princeton University (mgilens@princeton.edu).
His research examines representation, public opinion, and mass media,
especially in relation to inequality and public policy. Professor Gilens
is the author of Affluence & Influence: Economic Inequality and Political Power in America
(2012, Princeton University Press). Benjamin I. Page is Gordon S.
Fulcher Professor of Decision Making at Northwestern University (b-page@northwestern.edu).
His research interests include public opinion, policy making, the mass
media, and U.S. foreign policy. He is currently engaged in a large
collaborative project to study Economically Successful Americans and the
Common Good. For helpful comments the authors are indebted to Larry
Bartels and Jeff Isaac, to the anonymous reviewers from Perspectives on Politics, and to seminar participants at Harvard University and the University of Rochester.
