The Case for Interest Groups

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal

Man as a social animal Men must exist in society in order to manifest those capacities and accomplishments that distinguish them from other animals

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal People have characteristics in common and associate as groups

Categoric Groups Any collection of individuals who have some characteristic in common Examples?

(True) Groups Must not just share a characteristic in common, but must also interact Examples? Why must this be the case for the term “group” to be meaningful?

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal People have characteristics in common and associate as groups Group affiliations produce uniformities of behavior and attitude

Groups Groups experiences and affiliations are the primary, though not the exclusive, means by which the individual knows, interprets, and reacts to the society in which he exists

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal People have characteristics in common and associate as groups Group affiliations produce uniformities of behavior and attitude (How?)

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal People have characteristics in common and associate as groups Group affiliations produce uniformities of behavior and attitude Groups can be highly stable, uniform, formal, and general (an institution)

Groups in equilibrium Characterized by stable patterns of interactions Disturbances from the outside lead to: Temporary disruption, then reversion to previous balance New behaviors –Inappropriate behaviors –Individuals joining other, different groups –Formation of new groups

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal People have characteristics in common and associate as groups Group affiliations produce uniformities of behavior and attitude Groups can be highly stable, uniform, formal, and general (an institution) Disturbances to group can lead new groups or behaviors to form

“Interest Group” Any group that, on the basis of one or more shared attitudes, makes certain claims upon other groups in society for the establishment, maintenance, or enhancement of forms of behavior that are implied by the shared attitudes.

Features of this definition Can identify both potential and existing interest groups –Some interests have become a point of interaction among individuals, some not (yet) Organization is just a degree of interaction Organization can take place at any time Not restricted to politics/government

Premises of Truman’s Argument Man is an essentially social animal People have characteristics in common and associate as groups Group affiliations produce uniformities of behavior and attitude Groups can be highly stable, uniform, formal, and general (an institution) Disturbances to group can lead new groups or behaviors to form Sometimes this leads groups to form organizations Sometimes these organizations choose to try to affect politics or government

What of the “special interests”? (Pressure groups?) An irrelevant classification Any group is selfish or altruistic, depending on perspective

Pluralism Groups can form freely Groups will form in response to societal disturbances All groups’ interests will be represented No one group will dominate all the time Democracy is fair to all

Critiques?