Applying the Pluralist Theory of the State to People Power

APPLYING THE PLURALIST THEORY OF THE STATE TO THE PEOPLE POWER PHENOMENON IN THE PHILIPPINES

A research paper submitted by

Leah Marie O. Tumlos
MA in Political Science

to

Dr. Julio Teehankee
Professor, Political Science Department
De La Salle University - Manila

In partial fulfilment of the requirements for

Theories of the State (POL760M)

on

August 25, 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Background and Context of the Study ……………………………………………. 3
Significance of the Study …………………………………………………………. 4 Review of Related Literature

Pluralist Theory of the State ………………………………………………………. 5

People Power in the Philippines …………………………………………………... 6 Findings and Analysis Contemporary Pluralism and People Power ……………………………………… 9

The “EDSA Fatigue” ……………………………………………………………... 12 Conclusion

All-Time Lessons Learned ……………………………………………………….. 15

References ……………………………………………………………………………….. 16

INTRODUCTION

Background and Context of the Study

The people power phenomenon is believed to be an extra-constitutional means of political succession. It became legendary in the 1980s as a result of effectively overthrowing authoritarian rule in the Philippines and in various countries worldwide. This movement against authoritarian rule formed part of the third wave democratization that Samuel Huntington described and analyzed in his classic work on the matter.
In the Philippines, people power has always been a significant manifestation of pluralism because of the degree of consensus underlying the political process of transfer of power. First used in February 1986, this popular Filipino mass protest was aggravated by the late former president Ferdinand Marcos’ attempt to steal the results of the snap elections he called in order to validate his presumed