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interest group

Groups of citizens who share a common interest—a political opinion, religious or ideological belief, a social goal, or an economic characteristic—and try to influence public policy to benefit themselves.

An interest group is a group of citizens who share a common interest—whether a political opinion, religious affiliation, ideological belief, social goal, or

economic objective—and try to influence public policy to benefit its members. Other types of groups form for purely social or community reasons, but this chapter focuses on the groups that form to exert political influence.

Most interest groups arise from conditions in public life. A proactive group arises when an enterprising individual sees an opening or opportunity to create the

group for social, political, or economic purposes. A reactive group forms to protect the interests of members in response to a perceived threat from another group, to fight a government policy that the members believe will adversely affect them, or to respond to an unexpected external event.

Citizens most often join groups to advance their personal economic well-being, to get their voices heard as part of a larger group’s efforts on an issue, or to

meet like-minded citizens who share their views. There is no legal restriction on the number of groups that people can join, and citizens are frequently members of a number of organizations. On the large scale, citizens join groups as a gateway toward participating in democratic society

right of association

Right to freely associate with others and form groups, as protected by the First Amendment.

factions

Defined by Madison as any group that places its own interests above the aggregate interests of society

right of petition

Right to ask the government for assistance with a problem or to express opposition to a government policy, as protected by the First Amendment.

The right of petition gives individuals with a claim against the government the right to ask for compensation, and it also includes the right to petition to ask for a policy change or to

express opposition to a policy. It was the earliest and most basic gateway for citizens seeking to make government respond to them, and it has been used from the beginning of government under the Constitution.

lobbying

Act of trying to persuade elected officials to adopt a specific policy change or maintain the status quo

Interest groups lobby the legislative, executive, and even judicial branches of government at the state and federal levels. For example, when groups lobby Congress or state legislatures, they typically meet

with members’ staff aides to make the case for their policy goals. Lobbyists may also try to influence the executive branch by meeting personally with key bureaucrats and policy makers. Lobbying of the judicial branch takes the form of lawsuits against government policies that interest groups see as fundamentally unconstitutional or that go against the original intent of the law.

unions

Interest groups of individuals who share a common type of employment and seek better wages and working conditions through collective bargaining with employers.

grassroots movements

Group that forms in response to an economic or political event but does not focus on only one issue.

the National Rifle Association (NRA), AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons), the League of

United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the Sierra Club have existed for more than fifty years. Each claims to have millions of members, and each has different policy goals. However, not all modern interest groups are national in scope, and some are newly formed, so it is difficult to know how many groups are in existence at any one time. One study by political scientists estimated that there are approximately seven thousand groups operating in the American political system.

Economic interest groups

Group formed to advance the economic status of its members.

Economic interest groups form to advance the economic status of their members and are

efined by a specific set of financial or business concerns. Their membership bases tend to be exclusive because their purpose is to secure tangible economic benefits for themselves; if they grow too large or too inclusive, members’ benefits are necessarily diluted. However, if the underlying industries represented by these groups disappear or merge with others, the groups have to adapt in order to attract new members.

Trade associations focus on particular businesses or industries and make up a subcategory of economic interest groups. Examples include the

National Association of Manufacturers, the Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation, and the Semiconductor Industry Association. Trade associations form because business owners believe that they will have more influence on the policy process collectively than they would individually.

ideological interest groups

Groups that form among citizens with the same beliefs about a specific issue.They aim to influence public policy and promote their shared values, often engaging in advocacy, lobbying, and education.

citizens’ groups

Groups that form to draw attention to purely public issues that affect all citizens equally

single-issue groups

Groups that form to present one view on a highly salient issue that is intensely important to members, such as gun control or abortion.

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

Organizations independent of governments that monitor and improve political, economic, and social conditions throughout the world.

All interest groups provide information about the issues they care about to their members, the media, government officials, and the general public. The type of interest group dictates the kind of information it disseminates. Before the

Internet, groups provided members with information about government policies and new developments in their issue areas through newsletters and sessions at annual conventions.

Interest groups do more than merely report on current policy developments; they also provide members with interpretations of how the developments will affect their mission and goals. For example, in the

area of environmental and energy policy, interest groups are very active in keeping their members up to date on policy developments. For example, in November 2015, when then President Obama denied the application to build the Keystone Pipeline XL, which was considered a strong stance against climate change, the Sierra Club issued a press release claiming credit for its efforts to help defeat the pipeline and informing its members that their support of the Sierra Club made a difference.

political action committees (PACs)

Groups formed to raise and contribute funds to support electoral candidates and that are subject to campaign finance laws.

pluralist

View of democratic society in which interest groups compete over policy goals, and elected officials are mediators of group conflict.

iron triangle

Insular and closed relationship among interest groups, members of Congress, and federal agencies.

issue networks

View of the relationship among interest groups, members of Congress, and federal agencies as more fluid, open, and transparent than that described by the term iron triangle

revolving door

Movement of members of Congress, lobbyists, and executive branch employees into paid positions in each other’s organizations.

iron law of oligarchy

Theory that leaders in any organization eventually behave in their own self-interest, even at the expense of rank-and-file members; the larger the organization, the greater the likelihood that the leader will behave this way.

selective benefits

Benefits offered exclusively to members of an interest group.

public goods

Goods or benefits provided by government from which everyone benefits and from which no one can be excluded.

ree rider problem

Problem faced by interest groups when a collective benefit they provide is so widespread and diffuse that members and nonmembers alike receive it, reducing the incentive for joining the group.