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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

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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

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