INTEREST GROUPS

INTEREST GROUPS

Interest groups: Membership organizations and advocacy groups that make policy-related appeals to the government (Baumgartner and Leech, 1998).

Pluralism

• The belief that power should be widely dispersed among numerous groups, all with the

  capacity to influence public policy (Polsby 1960; Dahl 1956, 1961).

Alexis de Tocqueville (1835)

Americans are unusually likely to join voluntary

associations.

The formation of interest groups depends on…

The formation of interest groups depends on institutional and cultural factors (e.g.,religiosity).

Reasons for joining interest groups:

○Instrumental: to obtain benefits

○Purposive: belief in the group's goals

○Expressive: manifesting values through membership

how are Interest groups are involved in the electoral process

through donations to political parties, influenced by national regulations.

Olson’s The Logic of Collective Action

• Mancur Olson: Interest groups form and maintain in response to selective incentives benefiting individual members.

• Olson argues it’s irrational for someone to join a group seeking a collective good (e.g., clean air or water) because individual costs often outweigh the benefits.

The collective action problem

occurs when people are unwilling to contribute to a common goal because they can benefit without participating. This makes it harder to form large groups for public goods, while smaller, focused groups with specific interests are more likely to succeed.

Whom to lobby?

Interest groups are purposive organizations focusing on maximizing their chances of success. They focus on institutions with the most power and influence.

• The role of interest groups in policy-making fluctuates based on individual policies and governance styles

whom to lobby - United Kingdom (UK)

●Traditionally, interest groups paid less attention to Parliament because of its limited role

in formulating detailed policies.

●Interest groups focus on the executive part of government (bureaucracy + ministers).

whom to lobby - United States (US)

Interest groups focus on Congress due to its importance in policy-making. Members of

Congress are attentive to their constituencies, influenced by interest groups

Subgovernments/Iron Triangles:

Relationships between legislators, agencies, and

interest groups can lead to policies that favor interest groups over the public interest.

Approaches to Lobbying Other Institutions

1. Judiciary’s Role in Policy-Making

2. Lobbying Institutions

Interaction Between Interest Groups and State Institutions

Perspectives

1. Iron Triangle

2. Subgovernment

3. Network

Interest Group Strategies

1. Insider Strategies

2. Outsider Strategies

Influence of Institutions on Interest Groups

• Institutions play a crucial role in shaping the structure and formation of interest groups.

• Interest groups are often sponsored or promoted by the government, influencing their development.

Interest Groups and State-Society Relations

Interest groups play a crucial role in linking state and society. They are social partners in governance, participating in providing services and solving problems.

The Central Role of Business

1. capital

   1. business

Business as Social Partners

• Coordinated Market Economies (CMEs)

  • Liberal market economies like the US and UK view business as having a "privileged

    position"

Weaknesses of the Privileged Position Argument

The argument ignores differences between industries regarding their ability to relocate.

1. Low-skill industries (e.g., textile manufacturing) move easily

2. high-value, high-skill industries (e.g., high-tech) higher taxes and stricter regulations

The Changing and Weakening Role of Labour

The role of trade unions as social partners has declined but remains important in neo-corporatist countries.

● Labour unions have historically had special roles as bargaining agents, promoters of the working class, and agents of social transformation.

Unions have lost strength due to…

the decline in employment in traditionally unionized

industries (e.g., coal mining).

Interest Groups and Normative Political Theory

Interest group politics is relevant to normative political theory regarding minority power and the welfare of non-represented groups.

pluralist tradition

focuses not only on the impact of interest groups on policy but

also on the impact on their members.

who argued that groups serve as training grounds for citizens, providing experiences vital to democracy?

Tocqueville

• Interest groups represent pluralism by diffusing power outside the state, promoting democratic participation, and providing training grounds for citizens.