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How can political parties also concentrate power in the hands of a small group of leaders?
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Rwandan Patriotic Front political rally in Kayonza, Rwanda, August 2010.
Political parties often concentrate power in the hands of a small group of leaders due to inherent organizational imperatives, a phenomenon described by the iron law of oligarchy. This sociological thesis suggests that all organizations, regardless of their democratic ideals, tend to succumb to rule by an elite few.1
Several factors contribute to this concentration of power:
- Organizational Imperatives: Modern organizations require centralized authority, competent leadership, and a professional bureaucracy to function. These needs naturally create a caste of leaders who possess superior skills, knowledge, and status.1
- Control of Resources: Leaders often maintain their positions by controlling key organizational resources, such as internal communication, training, and party apparatuses.21
- Selection Processes: Whether in cadre parties—where committees of activists select candidates—or mass-based parties, governing committees typically play an essential role in candidate selection. Even mechanisms like primary elections often fail to fully limit the influence of these governing committees.3
- Psychological Factors: Elite domination is also reinforced by the tendency of rank-and-file members to seek guidance from and defer to their leaders.1
While these oligarchical tendencies are often viewed as a necessary evil in representative democracy, they remain a central theme in the study of political parties.21