Iron Law of Oligarchy

From Penguin dictionary of Sociology:
“In his analysis of German Social Democracy, Robert Michels argued (1911) that labour organizations with democratic aims, such as political parties and trade unions, experienced a tension between the need foe efficiency and membership control of the making and execution of policy. As they grew in size, labour organizations became more complex and permanent bureaucracies developed to cope efficiently with the problems of administration. The officials, by virtue of their expertise and experience, became indispensable and difficult to change even when subject to periodic re-election. Once they occupied this strong position, the leaders began to emancipate themselves from member control and displace member goals with their own. These goals are usually less radical than those of the members and the official party or union ideology. As they controlled the channels of communication, they manipulated the flow of information to help buttress their positions. In the final analysis, goal displacement depended on the apathy and lack of involvement of members with issues of party or union government.

The modern study of trade-union government and the internal structure of mass political parties has been deeply influenced by Michel’s pessimism, though research shows that the ‘iron law’ of oligarchy does not always apply to such organizations.”
Some more about Michels is at:
http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/Ockham/y64l11.html
There seems to be an element of truth in the iron law, particularly when there are no grass roots political and social organizations. Lok Satta started developing such organizations and is now debating about becoming a political party. Coincidentally Govt. of India is trying to dilute RTI Act:
http://alternativeperspective.blogspot.com/2006/07/indias-improved-right-to-ifrain-act.html#comments.
According to Dilip D'Souza http://dcubed.blogspot.com/, a place to contact is:
NCPRI
C 17A Munirka, New Delhi 110 067, India
Telefax: +91 (0)11 26178048; Phone: 26168759,
email: ncpri.india@gmail.com
where my old friend Shekhar Singh seems to be working.