How the answer moves
The flow snapshot — the routes in, the body, the counter-view and the routes out.
Flow snapshot — how the answer moves
Intro routes
core claim: power always with an organised minority → so democracy = contest among elites, not rule of the people contrast: classical democracy promises government of the people → elite theory denies it → rule belongs to organised minorities
Body flow
elite /mass division grounded in classical theory → Mosca (class that rules vs class that is ruled; minority always at the helm) — Pareto (circulation of elites; rule stays with the few) → Michels (Iron Law; “organisation = oligarchy"; even democratic parties oligarchise) → Schumpeter (democratic elitism; democracy = competitive method for votes; people only choose/replace rulers) → Lasswell (who governs; politics = who gets what; elites capture values — income, respect, safety)
Counter-view
denies democracy as rule of the people / citizens reduced to voters between elites → pluralist reply: many power centres fragment elites and keep them responsive
Conclusion routes
elite theory remains a strong reminder: organised minorities shape every political order elite theory makes democracy procedural — selecting and replacing rulers, not self-government
Model answer
Handwritten, in the form it would be written in the examination hall.
