Transcript interest_groups.ppt

INTEREST GROUPS - TYPES, TACTICS, RESOURCES
Definition: “An interest group is a body of people acting in an organized
fashion to advance shared political interests (to influence public policy).”
Types:
• self-oriented interest groups are those that seek to achieve some policy
goal(s) that will directly benefit their membership
-economic interest groups
-state and local governments
-sectors of society
• public interest groups (PIGs) seek policies NOT to benefit their members
directly, but that will be enjoyed by large segments of the general
population
INTEREST GROUPS - TYPES, TACTICS, RESOURCES
Resources: There are a variety of resources that interest groups draw upon
to influence governmental decision-making. All groups, of course, do not
have equal shares of each of these resources. The point is that interest
groups attempt to maximize the resources they have at their disposal.
• size of membership
• financial resources
• organization
• intensity
INTEREST GROUPS - TYPES, TACTICS, RESOURCES
Tactics/Strategies: Interest groups may use any or all of the tactics listed
below to attain their policy objectives. Some groups, however, by the
nature of their organizations and objectives, are more disposed to use
some than others and at varying rates of success:
• coalition-building
• bipartisan alliances
• “targeting” political opponents
• appealing to public support
• “grassroots lobbying”