Interest and Policy Groups

• Political issue - some problem society has, and people can not agree on how to solve it

• Public policy - Laws made by the government that attempt to fix an issue

• Government - An institution that attempts to solve political issues

• Policy Agenda - Political problems that have gained serious attention and that the government is actively working on

• Linkage Institutions - Ways that the people are connected to the government, how voices are expressed

  • Media is a linkage institution that informs the public about political issues and events while acting as a watchdog on government actions.

  • Political parties aggregate diverse interests, mobilizing voters and facilitating the electoral process.

  • Interest groups represent specific interests or causes, lobby legislators, and engage in grassroots efforts to influence public policy.

Interest Groups

• Interest groups work to influence bureaucrats, the president, congress, and the court

• Interest groups may work to influence local, state, and federal government

• Different from political parties

  • Do not run candidates for office

  • Policy Experts

• Pluralism - When different groups compete to win over the government

• Collective goods lead to the free rider problem

Free Rider Problem

• Collective goods lead to the free rider problem

• Offer selective benefits if they are part of the interest group

Theories on Democracy

• Elite: While people seem to have a voice, it is really the elite who control the government

• Hyperpluralism: Too many groups, too many competitions, multiple groups achieve their goals

• Pluralism

• Participatory: People’s voice is represented through government action

Iron Triangles

• An interest group, related congressional committee, and members of the related federal department/agency

• Work together to pass and enforce legislation when their goals are common

• Agencies are bueracrats

• Example:

  • AARP: Interest group

  • House Subcommittee on Aging: Congressional group

  • Social Security Administration: Buereaucracy

  • Attempts to prevent cuts to social security