Interest GroupsInterest Groups

Now Chapter 7Now Chapter 7

Value of Interest GroupsValue of Interest Groups

• Organizations that seek to achieve their Organizations that seek to achieve their goals by influencing government decisions.goals by influencing government decisions.

• James Madison believed interest groups James Madison believed interest groups were good.were good.

• Social Capital: the ways in which our lives Social Capital: the ways in which our lives are improved by social connectionsare improved by social connections

• Robert Putman believes that social capital Robert Putman believes that social capital improves lives, communities and improves improves lives, communities and improves government. He also believes that social government. He also believes that social groups are in decline.groups are in decline.

Interest Groups and Civic Interest Groups and Civic ParticipationParticipation

• Interest groups afford a way for Interest groups afford a way for people to band together to influence people to band together to influence government as a collective force.government as a collective force.

• They encourage groups to They encourage groups to communicate their views one on one communicate their views one on one with elected officials.with elected officials.

Pluralist TheoryPluralist Theory• Pluralist: a theory that holds policy making is a Pluralist: a theory that holds policy making is a

competition among diverse interest groups that competition among diverse interest groups that ensure the representation of individual interests.ensure the representation of individual interests.

• Pluralist view it as a competition between groups Pluralist view it as a competition between groups to influence Congress, Executive branch, and the to influence Congress, Executive branch, and the courts.courts.

• They believe interest groups are essential and that They believe interest groups are essential and that individuals rights can be protected through these individuals rights can be protected through these diverse groups.diverse groups.

• They also believe that interest groups provide They also believe that interest groups provide structure and rules for participating in politics.structure and rules for participating in politics.

• They believe that these groups form balance in They believe that these groups form balance in the government by counter acting each other.the government by counter acting each other.

Elite TheoryElite Theory

• A theory that holds that a group of the A theory that holds that a group of the wealthy, educated individuals wields wealthy, educated individuals wields most political power.most political power.

• Even though a majority of people Even though a majority of people participate in interest groups only the participate in interest groups only the elite hold the power over the U.S. elite hold the power over the U.S. government.government.

• Elite only protect their interests.Elite only protect their interests.• Non elites can claim elite status through Non elites can claim elite status through

education. Thus this mobility allows education. Thus this mobility allows anyone to move up in status.anyone to move up in status.

Key functions of Interest Key functions of Interest GroupsGroups

• Educate the public about policy issues.Educate the public about policy issues.• Provide average citizens with an avenue of Provide average citizens with an avenue of

access to activism.access to activism.• Mobilize citizens and stimulate them to Mobilize citizens and stimulate them to

participate in political affairsparticipate in political affairs• Perform electoral Perform electoral • Provide info and expertise to policy makers.Provide info and expertise to policy makers.• Can protect the common goodCan protect the common good• Are an integral part of the government Are an integral part of the government

system of checks and balances.system of checks and balances.

Downside of Interest Downside of Interest GroupsGroups

• Appearance of corruptionAppearance of corruption• Fund raise with (PAC) and make Fund raise with (PAC) and make

money a vital force in American money a vital force in American PoliticsPolitics

• PAC’s in turn make contributions to PAC’s in turn make contributions to campaigns.campaigns.

• They strength incumbents.They strength incumbents.• Elites are strengthen by incumbents Elites are strengthen by incumbents

and non elites are left weak.and non elites are left weak.

Patterns of MembershipPatterns of Membership

• Interest Group Participation is Interest Group Participation is related to three demographic related to three demographic characteristics:characteristics:

1. Income1. Income

2. Social Class2. Social Class

3. Education3. Education

Participation on Participation on OccupationOccupation

• People with higher incomes tend to have a People with higher incomes tend to have a better occupation than most. Thus they better occupation than most. Thus they have the means to spend money on interest have the means to spend money on interest groups. groups.

• Also some of these higher occupations Also some of these higher occupations interest group activity is useful.interest group activity is useful.

• Ex: Doctors (AMA) or Lawyers (ABA)Ex: Doctors (AMA) or Lawyers (ABA)• In 2008 the AMA started a campaign to get In 2008 the AMA started a campaign to get

47million Americans health care coverage.47million Americans health care coverage.• Teachers and Tradesman are likely to be in Teachers and Tradesman are likely to be in

Unions and tend to donate to the NEA.Unions and tend to donate to the NEA.

Interest groups and Interest groups and Social ClassSocial Class

• People of lower social classes will People of lower social classes will tend not to participate in interest tend not to participate in interest groups.groups.

• It also depends on if a person starts It also depends on if a person starts participating in them at a young age.participating in them at a young age.

Education and Interest Education and Interest GroupsGroups

• Students in college 19-25 are more Students in college 19-25 are more likely to join interest groups than likely to join interest groups than their counterparts that are not in their counterparts that are not in college.college.

• Higher education tends to mean Higher education tends to mean more knowledgeable about issues.more knowledgeable about issues.

• Internet groups have become more Internet groups have become more predominate predominate

Motivation for joining Motivation for joining interest groupsinterest groups

• For the benefits they receiveFor the benefits they receive

• Certain causesCertain causes

• Meet new peopleMeet new people

Solidary IncentivesSolidary Incentives

• Motivation to join an interest group Motivation to join an interest group based on companionship and the based on companionship and the satisfaction derived from socializing satisfaction derived from socializing with others that it offers.with others that it offers.

• Ex: Joining Sierra Club because they Ex: Joining Sierra Club because they enjoy hiking and protecting the enjoy hiking and protecting the wilderness.wilderness.

• NRA: Enjoys guns and shooting NRA: Enjoys guns and shooting contestcontest

Purposive IncentivesPurposive Incentives

• Motivation to join an interest group Motivation to join an interest group based on the belief in the groups based on the belief in the groups cause form an ideological or moral cause form an ideological or moral standpoint.standpoint.

• Ex: PETA because you strongly object Ex: PETA because you strongly object to animal abuse and want to work to animal abuse and want to work with others animal cruelty.with others animal cruelty.

• NRLC because you believe in pro life.NRLC because you believe in pro life.

Economic IncentivesEconomic Incentives

• Motivation to join an interest group Motivation to join an interest group because the groups works for because the groups works for policies that provide their members policies that provide their members material benefits.material benefits.

• Ex: NAPO provides bullet proof Ex: NAPO provides bullet proof vests, overtime pay, ectvests, overtime pay, ect

Organizational Organizational ResourcesResources

• The two resources that interest groups The two resources that interest groups rely on are membership and financial rely on are membership and financial resources.resources.

• Strength in numbersStrength in numbers• Cohesion of the groupCohesion of the group• Intensity Intensity • DemographicsDemographics• PAC – political action committee is a PAC – political action committee is a

group that raises and spends money in group that raises and spends money in order to influence the outcome of an order to influence the outcome of an electionelection

Organizational Organizational EnvironmentEnvironment

• This is the setting in which interest This is the setting in which interest groups attempt to achieve its goals.groups attempt to achieve its goals.

• Keys are leadership and presence or Keys are leadership and presence or absence of opposition from groups.absence of opposition from groups.

• Strong Leaders are the keyStrong Leaders are the key• Opposition- If no opposition than Opposition- If no opposition than

people are more likely to believe the people are more likely to believe the group.group.

Economic Interest Economic Interest GroupsGroups

• Corporate and Business- motion Corporate and Business- motion picture association of America picture association of America (MPAA)(MPAA)

• Umbrella Organization-interest groups Umbrella Organization-interest groups that represent collective groups of that represent collective groups of industries or corporationsindustries or corporations

• Labor- (AFL-CIO)Labor- (AFL-CIO)• Agriculture- (AFBF)Agriculture- (AFBF)• Trade- (AH&LA)Trade- (AH&LA)

Public and Ideological Public and Ideological Interest GroupsInterest Groups

• Collective Goods- outcomes shared by the Collective Goods- outcomes shared by the general publicgeneral public

• Free Rider Problem- the phenomenon of Free Rider Problem- the phenomenon of someone deriving benefit from others actionssomeone deriving benefit from others actions

• Rational Choice Theory- the idea that from Rational Choice Theory- the idea that from an economic perspective it is not rational for an economic perspective it is not rational for people to participate in collective action people to participate in collective action when they can secure the collective good when they can secure the collective good without participating.without participating.

• Consumer interestsConsumer interests• Environmental interests and Religious issuesEnvironmental interests and Religious issues

Interest Group StrategiesInterest Group Strategies

• Direct strategies involve actual contact Direct strategies involve actual contact between reps. of interest groups and between reps. of interest groups and policy makers. This is mostly used.policy makers. This is mostly used.

• Indirect strategies use intermediaries to Indirect strategies use intermediaries to advocate cause.advocate cause.

• Lobby-to communicate directly with policy Lobby-to communicate directly with policy makers on the interest groups behalf.makers on the interest groups behalf.

• Issue networking – the fluid web of Issue networking – the fluid web of connections among those concerned about connections among those concerned about policy and those who create policy.policy and those who create policy.

Interest Group Strategies Interest Group Strategies cont..cont..

• Iron Triangle- the interaction of mutual Iron Triangle- the interaction of mutual interest among members of congress, interest among members of congress, executive agencies, and organized executive agencies, and organized interest during policy making.interest during policy making.

• Litigation by interest groups- example Litigation by interest groups- example RIAA and stealing songs.RIAA and stealing songs.

• Providing expert testimony- celebrates Providing expert testimony- celebrates are brought in to help pass issues.are brought in to help pass issues.

Indirect StrategiesIndirect Strategies

• Public Outreach is done by climate Public Outreach is done by climate control which is building favorable public control which is building favorable public opinion of the organization. Wal-Mart opinion of the organization. Wal-Mart exampleexample

• Electioneering- working to influence the Electioneering- working to influence the elections of candidates who support the elections of candidates who support the organizations issues.organizations issues.

• This is done through PAC’s and This is done through PAC’s and endorsements.endorsements.

PACs are mainly Democratic.PACs are mainly Democratic.