INTEREST GROUPS
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
• Economic Groups
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Business Groups (American Petroleum Institute, Chamber of Commerce)
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Labor Groups (AFL-CIO, UFCWI)
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Ag Groups (The Grange, the Farm Bureau)
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Professional Associations (American Medical Association, National Educational Association)
• Noneconomic Groups
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Public Interest Groups (Greenpeace, Democracy 21)
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Single-Issue Groups (National Rifle Association, Operation Rescue, MADD)
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Ideological Groups (Christian Coalition, Family Research Council, NAACP)
•
Government Groups (city/state/foreign)
HOW INTEREST GROUPS WORK
• Methods
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Lobby government
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Engage in Election Activities
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Give money to candidates, grassroots campaigning
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Education
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Mobilizing public
ROLES OF IGS - THEORIES
• Pluralism – Many competing interest groups that balance each other out, allows for opposing
viewpoints. Power distributed equally.
• Hyperpluralism – too many groups, weaken government, govt collapse
• Elitist – The wealthy groups run society, interest groups fall to the wayside and are not relevant.
• State autonomy – Government is most important, due to control of military
• Marxist – property owners dominate society, capitalist progression because of exploitation of the
working class. (5 stages of development)
THE IRON TRIANGLE & ISSUE NETWORKS
BENEFITS OF JOINING AN INTEREST GROUP
• Solidary Incentive
• Expressive Incentive
• Selective Material Benefits
THE REVOLVING DOOR
• https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/
ASTROTURFING
• Making a sponsor to make it seem like it originates from grassroots