Interest articulation and aggregation

How can a common citizen participate in government? Voting—most frequent Informal group/collective action (common interest) Direct contact with policymaker on personal matter Direct contact with policymaker on policy issue Protest activity Political consumerism How can a common citizen participate in government?

America stands out for relatively low levels of national voting participation Americans are much more likely to try and discuss politics, or work for a party or candidate Voter participation

Protests Most visible form of citizen action Often tied to political consumerism More than 1/5 Americans and Europeans have at some time participated in a legal demonstration Russian protest participation went from less than 4% during USSR, to 25% by late 90s. Protests

Nearly 1/3 of Americans participates in citizen interest groups This activity also high in Mexico Regulated in China Citizen groups attempting to impact the government’s policy making Protesting Lobbying Interest groups

Why do you think the most likely to be politically active are the high status individuals in EVERY culture?

Interest groups Four types (more details coming on each) Anomic Nonassociational Institutional Associational Make up civil society (Free of state control!) Also known as social capital capacity building… Interest groups

Interest groups: Anomic spontaneous groups that react to a certain event Short lived Frequency varies by country & culture Interest groups: Anomic

Interest group: non- associational Non-associational groups activity is episodic usually not well organized Based on common interests and identities or personal relationships Have more continuity than anomic groups. Collective action problem—who will organize? Free riders (also get rewards) Interest group: non- associational

Interest group: institutional http://www.newpaltz.k12.ny.us/domain/881 Institutional groups Formal groups Have other political or social functions as well In industrial democracies, can be within bureaucracy US-Department of Defense US-Department of Agriculture Italy-Roman Catholic Church Iran-fundamentalist clergy urge voting behavior play role in authoritarian regimes as well Interest group: institutional http://www.newpaltz.k12.ny.us/domain/881

Interest group: Associational Associational groups Formed explicitly to represent the interests of a particular group Have procedures for formulating interests Affect the development of other groups Subset that believe they have common ideology or policy goal Interest group: Associational

Interest group systems—what is the US? Your country of study? Pluralist Multiple groups Participation voluntary Loose or decentralized structures Clear separation between group and government Democratic corporatist Single peak association Membership often compulsory or universal Centrally organized Systematically involved in policy making Controlled Single group for each sector Membership compulsory Each group hierarchical Groups controlled by the government Interest group systems—what is the US? Your country of study?