Alvin Rabushka

Politics in plural societies : a theory of democratic instability

concepts developed and the politics of plural societies. We have no intention of resolving this problem in summary fashion. As a result, the next chapter is devoted in its entirety to an analysis of politics in the plural society using the tools and language of this chapter. 58. E. E. Schattschneider, Intensity, Visability, Direction and Scope, American Political Science Review 51, no. 3 (September 1957): 933-42 (quotation at p. 937).

Political Entrepreneurship and Patterns of Democratic Instability in Plural Societies

ALVIN RABUSHKA is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Rochester. KENNETH SHEPSLE is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Washington University, St. Louis. * We wish to thank Richard F. Fenno, John H. Kautsky, Richard G. Niemi, G. Bingham Powell, S. Peter Regenstreif, and William H. Riker for their comments on this paper, and the University of Rochester for financial support. Race, XII, 4 (1971)

Integration in a Multi-Racial Institution: Ethnic Attitudes among Chinese and Malay Students at the University of Malaya

ALVIN RABUSHKA is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Rochester, New York. A feature common to many ’plural societies’ which have recently achieved independence is the establishment of a national university. Since 1957, universities have been founded in Malaya (1957), Mauritius (1967), Guyana (1963), and a major branch of the University of the West Indies has been built in Trinidad, to name a few. These societies all have one major characteristic in common, viz., that each contain, living side by side, culturally distinct ethnic or racial groups. Although interaction often takes place among members of different ethnic groups, the rate of interaction is normally very minimal. Yet, the establishment of a national university requires that members of each ethnic group wishing to obtain a university education come into closer contact with members of other ethnic groups also in attendance. The States of Malayaa provide an excellent opportunity to study

A Note on Overseas Chinese Political Participation in Urban Malaya

The object of this note is to demonstrate that generalizations about political participation may be invalid when applied to “developing” or “transitional” societies. Specifically, the relationship between rates of voter turnout and levels of education for urban Chinese in Malaya is not consistent with results reported for Western societies. A geographical classification of bibliographic entries in Lester Milbraths Political Participation discloses a very interesting statistic: only 3 of the 288 listed entries concern the transitional societies of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The lack of data on developing areas may, in large measure, explain the emphasis placed on studies of political participation in North America and Western Europe. Although there is more research on transitional societies today, most studies still focus on advanced industrial societies. The validity of the generalizations presented in Political Participation , therefore, is restricted to North America and Western Europe. Using data collected in Malaya (1957), I examine four of Milbraths hypotheses. These include: (1) higher education increases participation (p.122); (2) middle-aged persons participate more than young or old persons (p. 134); (3) men are more likely to participate than women (p. 133); and (4) religion affects participation (p. 137).

A diagrammatic exposition of an economic theory of imperialism

Imperialism is a favorite subject of many committed scholars. The volume of their work exceeds its value. Whereas such writings are interesting as displays of moral fervor, they are devoid of a positive theory of the economics of imperialism. These writers perhaps find their inspiration in the Leninist theory of imperialism and accept its emphasis on exploitation as the basis for their moralizing. The moral condemnation of imperialism which they offer is offset, however, by the writings of those who extend moral approval to imperialism for its civilizing aspects (which were also noticed by Marx). The Marxian dilemma is that during the capitalist period of history exploitation increases with the advance of civilization, and we have no moral theory to enable us to choose between less exploitation or more civilization. Perhaps this is why Marx said that communists preach no morality at all and relied on history.

Serving the elderly?—an illustration of the niskanen effect

As Niskanen points out, sociologists and political scientists have almost monopolized the study of bureaucratic behavior.1 Only three book length economic treatments of bureaucracy exist.2 What distinguishes these economic analyses from the others, however, is their ready acceptance of the self-interest axiom of human nature that underlies most economic reasoning. Individuals are adjudged to have their own preferences, to be capable of ordering them from most-preferred to least-preferred, and to be able to make choices that maximize their own utility (subject to the usual caveats about uncertainty, incomplete information, bargaining costs, etc.). Bureaucrats are not a special breed of altruistic animal. They, too, have preferences which are often revealed in the decisions they make, especially when bureaucratic outcomes differ from the stated goals of the organization. We present some evidence on this point shortly.