Interest Groups 2.0
Fitz-AP Gov
Focus: What do you get out of
joining a Facebook group?
• How many do you belong to?
People
Groups
What Are Interest Groups?
• Interest Group (simple definition)
organization of people with similar
policy goals that tries to influence the
political process
• Influence every branch and every
level of government.
3 VIEWS ON GROUPS
• James Madison and Federalist #10
• The open nature of the American
government invites organized political
participation.- Market of ideas
1. Pluralist theory
• Groups are good. Representation is equal.
Pluralism and its Critics
1. Disadvantages to those who
are not organized.
2. some interests have more
power than others.
3. no room for consideration of
transcendent national interests.
2. Hyperpluralist theory
• Too many groups getting too much of what
they want
3. Elitist theory
• Only a few groups have power. Mainly the
wealthy.
The Iron Triangle*
• Congressional Committees
• Interest Groups
• Government Agencies
• Congressional support through
lobbying
• Low regulation, special favors,
Why are large groups
unsuccessful?
Consumer
group files
lawsuit
Former 24
Hour Fitness
Members
Benefit
$20 for yours
truly…for
doing nothing
Olson says…
the group
The
the further it will
short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good
Free-rider problem
• Why join
?
when everyone benefits from…
Selective or material benefits
Solidarity benefits
Purposeful benefits
What Do Interest Groups
Do?
• A Lobbyists is someone whose task it is
to influence legislation or policymaking.
• Lobbyists have to be:
– Honest
– Persuasive
– Well-connected
• in order to be efficient
Interest Groups Techniques
Direct Techniques:
• Lobbying
– Private meetings
– Testifying
– Drafting Legislation
– Social Occasions
– Providing Political
Info
– Supplying
Nomination
suggestions
Indirect techniques:
• Generating Public
Pressure
– Use Constituents
as Lobbyists
– Building Alliances
with other groups
What Makes an Interest
Group Successful?
In general three factors tend to lead to
interest group success:
1. Leaders
2. Patrons and Funding –Without money, it is
hard to get your message out.
3. Members – a group must have members to
be successful. Organizing members allows
for strength in numbers and pooling of
financial support.
Criticism Interest Groups
Interest Groups have been criticized for
• Ignoring the wider interest of society
• Producing confusion and deadlock in
Congress
• Generating so much emotion that they
make reasoned discussion difficult
• Having too much influence
Important Points to Think
About
Interest Groups
• Promote interest in public affairs
• Provide useful information
• Serve as watchdogs
• Represent the interest of
Citizens
Interest Groups 2.0
What is an interest group-
Pluralist theory
Hyperpluralist theory
Elitist theory
Olson’s Law
Free-rider problem
Selective or material benefits
Purposeful benefits
What do interest groups do?
Lobbying-
Direct techniques-
Indirect techniques-
Recipe for success-
Criticism of interest groups-