Interest Groups

Chapter 11
 The Role and Reputation of
Interest Groups
 Defining Interest Groups
– An organization of people with shared policy
goal entering the policy process at several
points to try to achieve those goals. Interest
groups pursue their goals in many arenas.
– Political Parties fight election battles, Interest
Groups don’t - but they may choose sides.
– Interest Groups are policy specialists, Political
Parties are policy generalists.
Theories of Interest Group
Politics

 Pluralist Theory

 Elite Theory

 Hyperpluralist Theory

Click on name to go to that slide.

 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Pluralism
 Definition:
– Politics is mainly a competition among groups,
each one pressing for its own preferred policies.
– Many centers of power and many diverse,
competing groups.
– No group wins or loses all the time.
– Groups provide the key link between the people
and the government.
 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Pluralism
 Continued…
– Groups compete
– No group becomes too dominate
– Groups play by the rules of the game
– Groups weak in one resource can rely on
another resource.
– Lobbying is open to all, therefore, not a
problem.
 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Elitism
 Definition:
– Societies are divided along class lines and that
an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the
formal niceties of governmental organization.
– Numerous groups means nothing, power is not
equally divided among them - some have much
more.
– The largest corporations hold the most power.
 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Elitism
 Continued…
– The power is strengthened by a system of
interlocking directorates of these corporations
and other institutions.
– Corporate elites are willing to lose the minor
policy battles, but work to win the major policy
issues in their favor.
– Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the
few at the expense of the many.
 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Elitism
 Perceptions of the Dominance of Big Interests (Figure 11.1)
 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Hyperpluralism
 Definition:
– Groups are so strong that government is
weakened. Extreme, exaggerated form of
pluralism.
– Iron Triangles keep government from working
properly.
– Interest groups have become too powerful since
the government tries to serve every interest.
Not Iron Chef rather “Iron Triangles”
 Tennessee Valley Authority
FDR’s New Dealers wanted
to get electricity to poor in
Appalachia

•Faced early
So TVA est. ties
opposition from w/ agricultural
private sector interests who
utility companies, had power over
but eventually Southern
received electoral Congress
support via ag.
 Theories of Interest Group
Politics - Hyperpluralism
 Continued…
– The many subgovernments (iron triangles)
aggravate the process.
– When the government tries to please all the
groups, the policies become confusing and
contradictory.
– But with more interest groups getting involved,
these subgovernments may be dissolving.
What Makes an Interest Group
Successful?
 What Makes an Interest Group
Successful?
 The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large
Groups
– Potential group: All the people who might be
interest group members because they share a
common interest.
– Actual group: The part of the potential group
consisting of members who actually join.
– Collective group: Something of value that
cannot be withheld from a group member
 What Makes an Interest
Group Successful?
– Free-Rider problem: Some people don’t join
interest groups because they benefit from the
group’s activities without officially joining.
– The bigger the group, the larger the free-rider
problem. (Olson’s law of large groups)
– Large groups are difficult to keep organized.
 What Makes an Interest
Group Successful?
– Small groups are better organized and more
focused on the group’s goals.
– Thus consumer groups have a difficult time
getting significant policy gains - the benefits
are spread over the entire population.
– Groups that can provide selective benefits is a
way to overcome this problem.
 What Makes an Interest Group
Successful?
 The Benefits of Membership in the AARP (Figure 11.2)
 What Makes an Interest
Group Successful?
 Intensity
– Single-Issue groups: Groups that focus on a
narrow interest and dislike compromise.
– Groups may focus on an emotional issue,
providing them with a psychological advantage.
– May be more likely to use protests and other
means of political participation than traditional
interest groups that use lobbyists.
 What Makes an Interest
Group Successful?
 Financial Resources
– Not all groups have equal amounts of money.
– Monetary donations usually translate into
access to the politicians - a phone call, a
meeting, etc.
– There is a bias towards the wealthier groups.
– But, the wealthier groups don’t always win in
the policy arena.
The Interest Group Explosion

Figure 11.3
 How Groups Try to Shape
Policy
 Lobbying
– “communication by someone other than a
citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a
governmental decisionmaker with the hope of
influencing his decision.” (Lester Milbrath)
– Two basic types: Those that are employed by a
group, and those that are hired temporarily.
How Groups Try to Shape
Policy
– Lobbyists are a source of information.
– Lobbyists can help politicians plan political
strategies for legislation.
– Lobbyists can help politicians plan political
strategies for reelection campaigns.
– Lobbyists can provide ideas and innovations
that can be turned into policies that the
politician can take credit for.
 How Groups Try to Shape
Policy
 Electioneering
– Direct group involvement in the election
process.
– Political Action Committee (PAC): Used by
interest groups to donate money to candidates.
– PACs help pay the bill for increasing campaign
costs.
– Most PAC money goes to incumbents.
 How Groups Try to Shape
Policy
 Litigation
– If an interest group fails in one area, the courts
may be able to provide a remedy.
– Interest groups can file amicus curiae briefs in
court cases to support their position. (friend of
court) (Bob Jones U. v. US or Mapp v. Ohio)
– Class Action lawsuits permit small groups of
people to try and correct a situation on behalf of
a much larger group. (Erin Brockovich)
 How Groups Try to Shape
Policy
 Going Public
– Groups try and cultivate a good public image.
– Groups use marketing strategies to influence
public opinion of the group and its issues.
– Groups will purchase advertising to motivate
the public about an issue.
 Types of Interest Groups
 Economic Interests
– Labor
– Agriculture
– Business
 Environmental Interests
 Equality Interests
 Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies
 Understanding Interest
Groups
 Interest Groups and Democracy
– A wide open government would force groups to
compete and counterbalance each other.
– More groups mean more lobbyists and thus
better democracy to some.
– Others argue that groups are not equal and
some get more than they should, which is not
good for democracy.
 Understanding Interest
Groups
 Interest Groups and the Scope of
Government
– Interest groups seek to maintain policies and
programs that benefit them.
– Interest groups continue to pressure
government to do more things.
– But as the government does more things, does
that cause the formation of more groups?