write like English essay? ie point, evidence immediately after, most of essay focus on linking data to answering question, etc

judgement: interest groups generally have a positive impact on democracy in the USA, providing sections of the public with a larger scope of direct access to politicians, thus meaning that policies act in favour of an increased number of the population, however, the structure of interest groups have an elitist sort of feel, with the revolving-door notion, potentially meaning that those at the top remain at the top, instead of allowing the voices of the general pop

P1: interest groups generally increase levels of representation, particularly smaller groups , therefore having a positive impact on democracy

• interest groups promote pluralist democracy and are effective at representing smaller groups that may be overlooked or even deliberately marginalised by politicians

• the attention n pressure given by specific groups means that whilst they may not have been campaigned to, their livelihoods remain to matter

• tries to work in detracting from the attainment of power being at the forefront of politicians’ mind

• evid: groups rep a variety of characteristics in american society, inc to do with age » 60 Plus Association, rights » National Rifle Association, and careers » Communications Workers of America

• eval: the range of members represented through interest groups is large and ever-expanding

CP: policies favouring economic elites n business interest groups far more likely to be enacted than those supported primarily by the general public

• evid: 2014 study by Gilens and Page found that mass-interest groups were not as successful as economic elites and organised groups representing business interests

• eval: perhaps demonstrates that interest groups only broaden US politics enough to encompass the wealthiest and most well-off, rather than minorities and the overlooked

mini-judgement: whilst the scope of broadening could be argued upon, interest groups broaden the reach and access of politics, to an extent, therefore reaching the populist asset of democracy, contributing positively

P2: interest groups do not promote positive checks on politicians, often acting out of their own interests = negative democratic impact, and a factor that acts to a higher extent than representation, because checks directly impact policy-making

• interest groups are often seen as a method of checking politicians, outside of the official 3-branch system, as well as forcing politicians to stick with manifestos n promises

• however, the aim of interest groups is to work on policies benefitting those within and those repped, ultimately making up a small portion of society, as opposed to policies with wider scopes

• evid: after sandy hook in 2012, obama unable to pass new guns laws cos of targeting of marginal n moderate Democrats by NRA. opinion polls showed high levels of support for further regulation » many Dems in Senate refused to support these, fearing NRA activism

  • shows how the NRA, simply bc of reputation, managed to avoid further gun regulations, despite the profoundness of the tragedy, even if primary reasons for gun control inc self-defence n recreation

• eval: in the vein of checks, interest groups act as more of a hindrance than an advantage, meaning they negatively impact democracy, having more of an effect than the representation they provide

  • whilst those in power try to act in real-time ie in response to current situations, besides enacting campaign promises, interest groups can effectively hinder these attempts, or blockade them completely

CP: interest groups can also help to ensure that politicians n parties carry out the policies they promised at election time

• have liberty to add pressure onto politicians, again to ensure that politicians cannot make empty promises to gain power, but whilst in power, these are acted upon

evid: in 2020: the League of Conservation Voters used their Dirty Dozen list to campaign against politicians who have the worst environmental voting records. 6/12 were defeated

eval: democracy is about individuals voting for those who seem to align with their personal ideologies and values, trusting that these will be acted upon, and so in this way, interest groups could be seen as positive for democracy

mini-judgement: interest groups provide another, arguably unqualified, check on politicians, removing from their democratic impact

P3: interest groups enhance the levels of democratic participation in the American political system, particularly when there is such a prominent split between federal and state politics, meaning much persistence is required to make and sustain change

• interest groups enhance democracy by allowing ppl to become actively involved in the political process

• interest groups can add a great deal of democratic value given the low levels of participation in elections. many ppl can gain their political influence as a result of participating via pressure groups over voting

• ¾ states needed to ratify amendments » interest groups can focus on appealing to a wider range of America, as opposed to being confined to Congress or a handful states

• evid: over 70% of Americans are members of at least one civic or social group vs average of voting-age-population turnout between 2000 - 2020: 56.4%

• eval: interest groups are evidently an effective way of American citizens retaining relevance to their country’s politics, even if they wish not to vote

CP: interest group participation sometimes involves violence/other law-breaking activities. this challenges laws that have been passed through the representative democratic process

• counters effects n tenets of democracy: violent/illegal activity can be a major threat as it can restrict individual rights. interest groups can undermine essential freedoms n undermine the us’s liberal democratic status » environmental groups eg extinction rebellion have organised disruptive processes

• evid: 1990s: pro-life groups partook in bombings, shootings n murders including those of dr gunn, dr britton and dr slepian

• eval: begins to justify the removal of freedom of speech rights, with government breaching previous barriers of state control » detracts from the common democratic state value of freedom to act and talk how one wants

mini-judgement: whether political access provided by interest groups is positive or negative, political involvement is generally increased, meaning that democracy becomes more accurate, where more of those being governed are involved

conclusion: interest groups generally have a positive impact on American democracy and politics, enhancing participation and access from the common citizen to the heights of American politics