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Interest Groups

This article explores interest groups, organizations that work together to influence government policy without contesting elections. It discusses their tactics, determinants of influence, levels of institutionalization, and their impact on democracy.

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Interest Groups

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  1. Interest Groups Interest Representation April 1st, 2004

  2. Interest Groups • organizations whose members act together to influence gov’t policy on specific issues, without contesting elections (different from parties!) • how do they influence -- lobbying • play an important role in representing citizen demands to gov’t

  3. Determinants of Interest Group Influence: • size (membership) and cohesion • information, expertise • leadership, level of organization • financial resources • high-status (celebrity) membership • values, goals, tactics, issue -- compatible with broader public opinion? • ability to sway public opinion • institutionalization

  4. Determinants of Influence -- Institutionalization • institutionalization -- degree to which a group has become an acknowledged actor in/part of the political process • levels of institutionalization • institutional/associational/anomic • danger for group -- co-optation • to become institutionalized, interest groups must adopt norms and behaviours inside the broader governing consensus • must be more concerned with preserving priveleged position in the long-term than winning on certain issues • danger for government – capture • government relies on group to the point that it loses it ability to act autonomously in that issue area

  5. What Interest Groups Do -- Lobbying • tactics • mobilizing public opinion • media campaigns • public demonstrations • quiet consultations • lobbying elected officials • lobbying bureaucratic officials • the paradox of interest group influence • the most powerful interest groups are often the most quiet!

  6. Interest Groups and Democracy • majoritarian democratic critique of interest group pluralism • interest group politics is grossly uneven • well-financed, privileged interests hold the advantage • the paradox of interest group influence • the strongest interest groups (e.g. economic interests) do not have to lobby in order to have influence • interest group influence displaces the influence of the general public • special interest groups

  7. Interest Groups and Democracy • elite democracy • interest group competition and lobbying (even if grossly uneven) is fine so long as... • political elites retain the power to make overall decisions in the general welfare • assumption -- the summation of all interest group demands does not equal the general welfare

  8. Interest Groups and Democracy • liberal democracy • pluralism • as long as individuals are free to form interest groups, interest group competition represents interests in society • groups do not have to be equal; groups have to have equal opportunity to compete

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