Interest Groups
How Interest Groups Affect
Politics
What is an Interest Group?
• An interest group is a
private organization that
tries to persuade public
officials to respond/pass
laws that benefit their
members.
• Interest groups are what
help to influence politicians
• There are thousands of
interest groups in America
Role of Interest Groups
• 1. Interest groups seek to influence/change public
policy (the goals of government Ex. Healthcare,
taxation, education, etc.). Also, known as
pressure groups
• Interest groups are usually only concerned with
one particular issue or group of people.
Positive aspects of Interest Groups
• Help to raise awareness of
public affairs (issues and
events).
• Helps to bring together
people with similar ideas
and promotes these ideas
• Provide detailed information
to Congress
• Act as another Check and
Balance
Negative Aspects of Interest
Groups
• Highly organized groups with
lots of money usually have
more influence
• Hard to tell how many people
are actually in the group
• Do not always speak for all
their members
• Sometimes use illegal tactics
(ex. Bribery, use of money,
etc.) to get their ideas passed.
Types of Interest Groups
• 1. Business Groups
• 2. Labor Groups (Labor union: organization of
workers who share the same type of job or
industry)
• 3. Agricultural Groups
• 4. Professional Groups
Types of Interest Groups
• 5. Groups that promote Causes
• 6. Groups that promote the
general welfare of a certain
group of people
• 7. Religious Organizations
• 8. Public Interest Groups: an
interest group that seeks to
institute certain public policies
for the benefit of most/all people
in this country
Interest Groups At Work
How Interest Groups get Public
Policy Passed
Major Goals of Interest Groups
• 1. Supply the public with information
about their cause
• 2. Build a positive image for their interest
group
• 3. To promote a particular public policy
Techniques Interest Groups
Use
• 1. Propaganda: a technique
of persuasion aimed at
influencing individual or group
behaviors. Propagandists are
usually advertisers that sell
ideas. They use name calling,
positive labels, famous people,
and bandwagon effect
(everyone is doing it) in order
to advance their ideas.
Techniques Interest Groups
Use
• 2. Influencing Parties
and Elections: Interest
Groups are a major
source of the money
for campaign funds
(PACs). They
understand that money
talks.
Techniques Interest Groups
Use
• 3. Lobbying: defined
as the pressure that
interest groups put on
legislators and the
legislative process.
– Lobbyists are stationed
in Washington DC, and it
is their job to influence
Congress on behalf of
their clients.
Techniques Interest Groups
Use
• Lobbyists’ Techniques:
– Make sure that the
Congressmen/women receive lots
of positive information about their
cause.
– Testify before Legislative
committees
– Use “grass root” pressure: this is
what the average people want (Get
people to write to Congress)
– Use lots of advertising
Lobby Regulations
• Even though it is very
rare, there are some
interest
groups/lobbyists who
bribe public officials or
give false information.
Due to this, lobbyists
are forced to register
with Congress.