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Power Elite Theory

2235 Words9 Pages

The importance of the history of minority groups have been undercut throughout history due to the position of racial minorities in the American society. When it came to historical preservation of sites thought to be historically significant, barely any buildings related to the history of minority races were included in the preservation efforts. However, efforts by the Chinese were able to prevent the demolition of the Chinese Mission Church in San Diego. This essay will explore how, and to what extent, the theories of power elite and pluralism explain the developments surrounding the fate of the Chinese Mission Church in San Diego when it was identified as a structure to be demolished in the 1986 Marina Redevelopment Project to make way for …show more content…

The group of power elite is composed of members with similar interests and ways of living, and thus contributes to clear and defined policies that help to achieve common goals/interests. This theory states that power is concentrated in the hands of the power elites, and that the influence of interest groups and the mass society is insignificant in shaping decisions as the power elite seeks to manipulate the mass society’s understanding of policies. This theory also suggests that there may be the use of mass media to manipulate the perception of the mass society towards certain issues. The theory of pluralism, however, suggests that power is equally shared between interest groups, with no dominant group. It suggests that all parties have equal power and are able to protect their self-interests as they are able to lobby for their desired outcomes. Thus, the outcome is always a compromised decision that satisfies all groups’ interests. This theory also explains that all decisions made are essentially based on consensus that also takes into account the opinions of the mass society, whom they obtain financial and moral support from for their causes. Thus, the mass society has some political …show more content…

The CHS and CCBA, as interest groups, tried to lobby for preservation of the Chinese Mission Church, against the decision by the city council that supported the demolishment and redevelopment of Chinese Mission. While the CHS and CCBA were successful in preserving the structure, they were unsuccessful in demanding for the complete preservation of the building since they had to give up the original historical location of the Chinese Mission

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