Final answer:
Politicians may be attentive to the people they serve, the rich and powerful, or a combination of both.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a democratic system, politicians should ideally be attentive to the people they serve. However, there is often debate over whether politicians are more attentive to the rich and powerful or a combination of both.
The elite theory of government suggests that a small, wealthy, and powerful elite controls the government and makes policies to benefit themselves. On the other hand, the pluralist theory argues that groups representing the interests of the people do attract the attention of politicians and can influence government policies.