Abstract
More than 100 years ago, Robert Michels laid out his theory of the ‘iron law of oligarchy’. The main, and crucial, point Michels made is that oligarchy will always emerge; even in the case of genuine attempts to organise and run organisations in non-oligarchic or non-hierarchical ways, the iron law allegedly holds sway. This paper critically examines, and refutes, Michels’ theory on theoretical and methodological grounds. It argues that his theory is in many ways insufficient and that his dictum of the unavoidability of oligarchisation is not as compelling and cogent as stereotypical references to it might imply. Moreover, the paper shows that alternative/democratic organisations actually have a whole range of means to avoid oligarchisation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 545-562 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Organization Studies |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 5 Feb 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2019 |
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Why Michels’ ‘iron law of oligarchy’ is not an iron law – and how democratic organisations can stay ‘oligarchy-free’. / Diefenbach, Thomas.
In: Organization Studies, Vol. 40, No. 4, 04.2019, p. 545-562.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Why Michels’ ‘iron law of oligarchy’ is not an iron law – and how democratic organisations can stay ‘oligarchy-free’
AU - Diefenbach, Thomas
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - More than 100 years ago, Robert Michels laid out his theory of the ‘iron law of oligarchy’. The main, and crucial, point Michels made is that oligarchy will always emerge; even in the case of genuine attempts to organise and run organisations in non-oligarchic or non-hierarchical ways, the iron law allegedly holds sway. This paper critically examines, and refutes, Michels’ theory on theoretical and methodological grounds. It argues that his theory is in many ways insufficient and that his dictum of the unavoidability of oligarchisation is not as compelling and cogent as stereotypical references to it might imply. Moreover, the paper shows that alternative/democratic organisations actually have a whole range of means to avoid oligarchisation.
AB - More than 100 years ago, Robert Michels laid out his theory of the ‘iron law of oligarchy’. The main, and crucial, point Michels made is that oligarchy will always emerge; even in the case of genuine attempts to organise and run organisations in non-oligarchic or non-hierarchical ways, the iron law allegedly holds sway. This paper critically examines, and refutes, Michels’ theory on theoretical and methodological grounds. It argues that his theory is in many ways insufficient and that his dictum of the unavoidability of oligarchisation is not as compelling and cogent as stereotypical references to it might imply. Moreover, the paper shows that alternative/democratic organisations actually have a whole range of means to avoid oligarchisation.
KW - democratic organisation
KW - iron law of oligarchy
KW - Michels’ law
KW - oligarchisation
KW - oligarchy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041927820&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0170840617751007
DO - 10.1177/0170840617751007
M3 - Article
VL - 40
SP - 545
EP - 562
JO - Organization Studies
JF - Organization Studies
SN - 0170-8406
IS - 4
ER -