Interest Groups Chapter 11

The Role and Reputation of Interest Groups  Defining Interest Groups – An organization of people with shared policy goals 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 provide a key link between people and government.

– Groups compete.

– – No one group is likely to become too dominant.

Groups usually play by the “rules of the game.” – Groups weak in one resource can use another.

Theories of Interest Group Politics - Elitism  Definition: – Societies are divided along class lines and an upper-class elite rules, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

– Numerous groups mean 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 – Elite 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.

– Subgovernments consist of a network of groups that exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas.

– Interest groups have become too powerful as the government tries to serve every interest.

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.

– 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 good: 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.

– Consumer groups have a difficult time getting significant policy gains - the benefits are spread over the entire population.

– Groups that can provide selective benefits can 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.

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 arena, the courts may be able to provide a remedy.

– Interest groups can file

amicus curiae

briefs in court cases to support their position.

– Class Action lawsuits permit small groups of people to try and correct a situation on behalf of a much larger group.

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 – James Madison’s solution to the problems posed by interest groups was to create a wide open system in which groups compete.

– Elite theorists point to the proliferation of business PACs as evidence of interest group corruption.

– Hyperpluralists maintain that group influence has led to policy gridlock.

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?