1. Interest Groups Chapter 11
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Thirteenth AP* Edition
Edwards/Wattenberg/Lineberry
Chapter 11
Interest Groups
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Bellringer 3/14
One of the main differences between American political parties and interest groups is that
A. interest groups are concerned with more issues
B. interest groups concentrate on only one policy arena
C. political parties run candidates for office
D. interest groups limit their membership
E. political parties are policy specialists
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3. The Role of Interest Groups
Interest group: an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals
Interest groups distinguishable from parties.
Political parties fight election battles; interest groups do not field candidates for office but may choose sides.
Interest groups are policy specialists; political parties are policy generalists.
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4. Theories of Interest Group Politics
Pluralist Theory
Politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.
Elite Theory
Societies are divided along class lines and an upper-class elite rules, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.
Hyperpluralist Theory
Groups are so strong that government is weakened. This is an extreme, exaggerated form of pluralism.
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5. Theories of Interest Group Politics
Pluralism and Group Theory – competing groups are evidence that influence is widely dispersed.
Groups provide a key link between the people and the government.
Groups compete and no one group will become too dominant.
Groups weak in one resource may use another.
Lobbying is open to all so is not problematical.
Law
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6. Theories of Interest Group Politics
Elites and the Denial of Pluralism
Real power is held by relatively few.
The largest corporations hold the most power.
Other groups may win many minor policy battles, but elites prevail when it comes to big policy decisions.
Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the man
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10. Theories of Interest Group Politics
Hyperpluralism and Interest Group Liberalism
The hyperpluralist critique
Groups have become too powerful as the government tries to appease every interest.
Subgovernments aggravate the process.
Trying to please every group results in contradictory policies;
Subgovernments consist of a network of groups that exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas.
Also known as iron triangles
Consists of interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees that handle policies
FDA
Lobbying
Legislation
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Agencies
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House
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Senate
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15. What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Many factors affect the success of an interest group
Size of the group
Its intensity
Its financial resources
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16. What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups
Potential group: all the people who might be interest group members because they share a common interest
Actual group: the part of the potential group consisting of members who actually join
Collective good: something of value that cannot be withheld from a group member
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17. What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Free-Rider problem: Some people don’t join interest groups because they benefit from the group’s activities without officially joining.
Public interest lobbies seek “a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit the membership activities of the organization.”
Olson’s law of large groups:
“The larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good.”
Small groups better at organizing and meeting specific goal
Overcome Olson’s law by providing selective benefits:
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18. What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Intensity
Single-Issue groups: groups that focus on a narrow interest, dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics
Groups may focus on an emotional issue, providing them with a psychological advantage.
Intensity encourages non-conventional means of participation. I.e.- protests
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26. What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Financial Resources
Not all groups have equal amounts of money.
Monetary donations usually translate into access to the politicians, such as a phone call, meeting, or support for policy.
Wealthier groups have more resources—and presumably more access.
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Bellringer 3/15
According to the text, the least effective activity of lobbyists in Congress is
A. contributing to campaigns
B. providing information
C. activating members of Congress to vote on legislation
D. converting members of Congress to the lobbyists’ position
E. both A and B
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29. How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Lobbying
“communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his decision” (Lester Milbrath)
Political persuaders who represent organized groups
Two basic types of lobbyists:
Regular, paid employees of a group
Temporary hires
What is lobbying?
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30. How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Lobbying
Lobbyists:
are a source of information
help plan political strategies for legislation
help plan political strategies for reelection campaigns
are a source of ideas and innovations
Mixed evidence as to whether lobbying works
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Lobbying
Food lobby
DC Culture
Revolving Door
60 Minutes
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35. How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Electioneering
Direct group involvement in the electoral process
Help fund campaigns and get members to work for candidates
Political Action Committee (PAC): PACs are used by interest groups to donate money to candidates.
PACs help pay the bill for increasing campaign costs.
Most PAC money goes to incumbents.
Also recruit members to run, issue official endorsements, provide volunteers, send delegates to conventions to influence the platform and spend on independent expenditures.
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41. How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Litigation
If an interest group fails in one arena, the courts may be able to provide a remedy.
Interest groups can file amicus curiae briefs to influence a court’s decision.
amicus curiae: briefs submitted by a “friend of the court” to raise additional points of view and present information not contained in the briefs of the formal parties
Class Action lawsuits permit a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similar situated.
Class action suits
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42. How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Going Public
Because public opinion makes its way to policymakers, groups try to:
cultivate a good public image to build a reservoir of goodwill with the public
use marketing strategies to influence public opinion of the group and its issues
advertise to motivate and inform the public about an issue
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46. Types of Interest Groups
Economic
Environmental
Equality
Consumers and Public Interest
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47. Types of Interest Groups
Economic Interests: public policy has economic effects through regulations, tax advantages, subsidies, and international trade policy.
Labor
Union shop v. right-to-work laws
Business
Different business interests compete on specific issues
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48. Types of Interest Groups
Environmental Interests
Promoted pollution control, wildness protection
Oppose oil drilling, nuclear power plants, strip mining
Equality Interests
Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies
Seek a collective good
Protect children, animals, and the mentally ill
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49. Limits on Interest Groups
Interest groups are protected by the first amendment.
Federal regulation of interest groups
Lobbyist must report income and expenditures
Paid lobbyists must register
Campaign finance reforms
Limits on gifts
No bribery
Limits of revolving door appointments
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50. Understanding Interest Groups
Interest Groups and the Scope of Government
Interest groups seek to maintain policies and programs that benefit them.
Interest groups continue to pressure government to do more things.
As the government does more, does this cause the formation of more groups?
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Summary
Group theories: pluralism, elitism, and hyperpluralism
A number of factors influence a group’s success. I.e., being small
Interest groups affect policy process through lobbying, electioneering, litigation, and going public.
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