1. Interest group - defined
Organization or association of people with common interests that engages in politics on behalf of its members

2. Positive and negative views of Interest Groups
Positive vision: First Amendment protection, Supreme Court has uphold rights of groups to form
Negative vision: Federalist #10, Today: argument that interest groups exert undue and harmful influence in American politics

3. Waves of interest group formation
1830s-1880s
Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), National Grange (farmers)
1890s-1920s
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), US Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau Federation
1960s-1980s
National Organization for Women, Ralph Nader’s Consumer Union, Common Cause

4. Why do groups form? Economic, social, technological changes
Why hard to form and maintain groups?
Consider incentives to join groups (cost-benefit analysis as with voting: there are costs to joining and benefits)
Different incentives/benefits groups use to attract members:
Solidary
Material
Purposive

5. FREE RIDER PROBLEM Larger the group, bigger the problem is
How to overcome?
Coercion, Selective Incentives

6. How do groups influence government?
General: transmit citizen preferences, provide info to public officials
Specific:
Lobbying
Direct Action (protest, demonstrations)
Litigation
Testify at Congressional hearings
Electioneering (mostly via PACs- political action committees = specialized organizations set up to raise and spend campaign funds)

7. Do PACS buy votes?
PAC money seems to buy “access” – mobilization of supporters and to lesser extent demobilization of opponents – money gets members of Congress to listen to and take into account the PAC’s concerns, attend committee hearings and speak up, mark up bill and add amendments, etc. (Hall and Wayman)
Not just PAC money used to influence members of Congress – groups also sponsor trips (”junkets”) for members.