SDS and the "Iron Law of Oligarchy"

Abstract

During the decade 1960-1970 the student movement increased in intensity and influence. A vanguard organization of the movement was Students for a Democratic Society. From an obscure beginning, this splinter group from the League for Industrial Democracy advanced to lead the student movement during some of the most active years. By the end of the decade however, SDS had crumbled and had itself split into s~veral splinter organizations. Through an historical analysis one can see the oligarchical trend which SDS took during the latter part of the decade, a trend which resulted in the nearly total demise of the organization. One possible reason for this demise resulted from the student movement leadership role which SDS held, and the effects of this position on the internal functioning of the organization. This paper is an attempt to evaluate the organization, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) , in accordance with the principles involved in (1) the secondary relationships which Alexis de Tocquevi11e saw as necessary for a democracy, and (2) Robert Michels' "iron law of oligarchy."