The Struggle for Democracy: A Reader in American Politics
Compare and contrast lobbying and activism (via social movements). What are the differences between the organizations and activities of interest groups and social movements? What are the similarities (especially given the focus in interest groups on the “outside game”)?
Interest Groups and Business Corporations
Political Linkage: Intermediaries in the Link between People and Public Policy
Interest Groups in a Democratic Society
Definition: private organizations that try to shape public policy
aka, “special interests”
Lobbying: the physical act of contacting members of Congress
Americans have historically been suspicious of groups banding together to promote their interests
Interest groups are different from political parties?
How, you say?
They do not engage in electioneering
Interest Groups in a Democratic Society
The “factions are evil” argument:
Interest Groups have a narrow self-interest
Function without regard for the public good
“Corrupting”
Look at Federalist #10 by Madison
Interest Groups in a Democratic Society
The pluralist argument: interest groups are OK because people are free to join or organize groups that reflect their own interests
Interest Group Formation
Why do interest groups form?
Elections do not adequately communicate what we want
Groups are easy to form
Protected by the First Amendment
Federalism and its dispersal of power creates many access points for groups to approach
American government is open to the influence of these groups
So the process might look like this….
Interest Group Formation
When do interest groups form?
Interest groups flourish under certain conditions
When there are many interests
When the political culture supports the pursuit of private interests
When the rules make it easy to organize
When power is dispersed throughout the political structure
What Interests are Represented?
Types of interests groups
Public: connected with the general welfare of the community
Private:
Producers
Professionals
Unions
Citizens’ groups
Yep, you too?
What Do Interest Groups Do?
Inside Game
Direct contact between a group representative and government officials
Access to policy makers
Lobbyists are often retired policymakers
Most effective when the issue is narrow and does not command a lot of attention
What Do Interest Groups Do?
Inside game (con’t)
Lobbying
Executive branch: providing technical information
Congress: providing information, expertise, and financial contributions
Judiciary
Amicus curiae briefs
What Do Interest Groups Do?
Outside game
Indirect form of influence that involves efforts to mobilize public opinion, voters and important contributors to pressure public officials
Mobilization of membership
Organizing the area
Shaping public opinion
Involvement in campaigns and elections
What Do Interest Groups Do?
Possible Flaws in the Pluralist System
Representational inequalities
Resource inequalities
Soft money: expenditures on public education, voter registration, and voter mobilization
Has no limits
Banned in 2002: resulted in 527 organizations
Independent expenditures: money spent on ads and on behalf of candidates or issues not connected with the campaign
Has no limits
No one gives something without expecting something in return
Table 7.2: Major spending on federal lobbying in 2011, by industry
Possible Flaws in the Pluralist System
Access inequality
Iron triangles: the three-way relationship among a bureaucratic agency, an interest group and a congressional committee or sub-committee
Does money = access?
Possible Flaws in the Pluralist System
The public activity of these groups are easily monitored
It is the “behind the scenes” activities of groups and corporations that brings into question the pluralist argument
The minutia of legislation and regulation is the area of concern
Figure 7.3: The Iron Triangle
Curing the Mischief of Factions
Disclosure – Why? “The politics of faction is usually the province of the privileged”
Public Utilities Act (1935) required lobbyists for that industry to register with Congress
all lobbyists have been required to do so since 1946
1993: Congress required all lobbyists to report on their activities
Ethics in Government Act (1978) prohibits former officials from lobbying their former agency for one year on any issue in which the person was substantially involved
Interest Groups and Democracy
Some political scientists suggest that in order to decrease the power of interests groups, we should strengthen the institutions of majoritarian democracy such as political parties, the presidency and Congress
Can we decrease inequalities among interest groups without trampling on our liberties?
The Struggle for Democracy: A Reader in American Politics, latest edition Edward S.Greenberg & Benjamin Page eds. Longman
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