Samuel Eldersveld

American political scientist

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July 20, 2026

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Samuel Eldersveld was an American political scientist known for his work in the field of political science, particularly in the post-World War II era. His research contributed to the development of behavioralism, an approach that emphasizes observable and quantifiable phenomena in the study of politics.

Eldersveld's work, alongside other scholars of his time, helped to expand the scope of political science beyond traditional institutional studies to include a more scientific and empirical examination of political behavior. This shift involved utilizing methodologies from social sciences, such as psychology, to establish statistical relationships between variables influencing political outcomes. This focus on empirical observation and measurement marked a significant evolution in the discipline.12

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iron law of oligarchy
In the party literature, Samuel Eldersveld argued that the power of organizational elites in Detroit was not nearly as concentrated as the iron law would suggest. He found party power relatively dispersed among different sectors and levels, in a “stratarchy” of shifting coalitions among component groups representing different social…
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In the party literature, Samuel Eldersveld argued that the power of organizational elites in Detroit was not nearly as concentrated as the iron law would suggest. He found party power relatively dispersed among different sectors and levels, in a “stratarchy” of shifting coalitions among component groups representing different social…
Read More