Pluralism and Policy Making in New Zealand

The political theory of pluralism maintains that political power is not held exclusively by the government, but by a number of diverse groups. Interest groups, pressure groups, trade unions, and informal groups of like-minded citizens are all examples of the types of coalitions which pluralists believe influence the political system. New Zealand is a pluralist society. Our people are diverse and since the introduction of a MMP electoral system there is greater opportunity for groups to be involved in politics. Pressure groups are particularly active in the New Zealand political system which is illustrated in this paper by studying their involvement in the development of the Emissions Trading Scheme. A pluralist democracy places additional demands on policy makers who have many interests to consider. As New Zealand becomes increasingly diverse culturally, public policy in areas such as education will need to be careful to consider many points of view. Lastly, this paper will discuss the criticisms of pluralism and a new theory – neopluralism which emerged as a reaction to those critiques. Pluralism is both a political theory and a way of describing how power could be structured in a democratic system. The pluralist perspective is that society is made up of a diverse group of people with different interests, and that while decisions are made in a central government framework, political power is realised through organised group activity, political parties, pressure and interest groups (Schwarzmantel, 1994, p.50). Groups involved in policy making could include unions, environmental groups, professional associations, business groups, and formal or informal groups of citizens. Because most citizens have limited time to invest in politics and are busy with work, family, health and recreation, the majority of the public act as bystanders to the political process (Reynolds, 1996, p.1). Pluralism assumes that all people have interests and these interests are best

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