Interest Groups
Placing Demands on Government
By Any Other Name...
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People refer to interest groups with complimentary or derisive names depending on their view of that group
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Organized interest
Advocacy group
Pressure group
Special interest
Faction
The Interest Group Universe
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The paradox of interests
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Many have representation in Washington
The bulk of the universe
“Peak associations”
Larger labor unions maintain full-time staffs in state capitals and Washington, D.C.
Membership advantages
Public interest groups
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Why the U.S. has so many interest groups
Labor unions
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Diversification
Business and trade associations
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The role of government
Individual businesses
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Participation
The advocacy explosion
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American skepticism
Seek public rather than selective goods
Usually ideological (conservative vs. liberal)
Single issue groups
Governments as interest group
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Local governments converge on Austin
State and local governments maintain offices in Washington, D.C.
The federal and state bureaucracies
Interest Group Formation
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Disturbance theory
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Distribution of power
Changes in society
Read about the “free rider” problem on pages 440-441 in We the People. What is it, how does
it make group survival difficult, and how can a group over come it?
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The “Free Rider” problem
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Overcoming the free rider problem
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Disincentives to join groups
Collective benefits
Selective benefits
Motives for joining a group
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Material benefits
Solidary benefits
Purposive or expressive benefits
Interest Group Activities
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Nonlobbying activities
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Maintenance
Monitoring government
Direct lobbying: the “inside game”
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Lobbying the legislature
Lobbying the executive branch
Read about the iron triangle and issue networks on pages 450-451 in We the People. Who are
the three actors in the iron triangle, and why do they have an incentive to work together?
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The iron triangle
Lobbying the judicial branch
Interest Group Influence
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Our elitist history
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Policy was the province of the few
The pluralist ideal
What is pluralism in the context of political science? What role do organized interests play in
pluralism? Here is a quick description:
http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/pluralist_theory
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Competition among groups
The pluralist fallacy
The Marxian fallacy
The first full sentence on page 14 of James Q. Wilson’s Political Organizations describes two
tempting fallacies in describing organized interests. Familiarize yourself with these:
http://tinyurl.com/m2pb2zq
Read this short book review of E.E Schattschneider’s The Semisovereign People:
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6091772
What is meant by “The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a
strong upper class accent?”
What is Schattschneider trying to convey with the word “semisovereign”?
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When groups are successful
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There is little opposition
The focus is on low visibility issues
Elected officials are undecided
Complete the Chapter 22 simulation from StudySpace now.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/polisci/we-the-people9/texas/ch/22/simulations.aspx
Interest Groups in Texas
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The particularized universe
Which of the Big Five types of organized interests have been historical weak? The report below
makes it clear:
http://www.bls.gov/ro6/fax/union_tx.pdf
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Business and trade groups
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Organization and image
What makes for a good business climate? What sorts of government policies (or lack thereof)
to businesses prefer?
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-climate.html
How does Texas fare in its business climate?
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Good business climate
In 2003, Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment to limit tort liability. Read the
definition of torts below. Why would these be of great concern to the business community?
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/tort
How did the amendment change tort law?
http://tinyurl.com/k57jno8
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Professional associations
Labor unions
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Tort reform
Diminished power
Common goals
Public employee groups
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Organization and voting power
Read the linked article about a San Antonio Police Officers Association endorsement:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/news_columnists/article/SAPOA-endorsement-rankles-rank-and-file-cops-4280539.php
Given this example, how democratic do political organizations appear? Of which fallacy
discussed above is this an example?
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Public effect of demands
Agricultural groups
Racial and ethnic groups
Religious groups