1. 3-5: Introduction to Interest Groups

2. Big Idea: Competing Policy-Making Interests
Enduring Understanding:
Interest groups provide opportunities for participation and influence how people relate to government and policymakers.
Learning Objective:
Explain the benefits and potential problems of interest-group influence on elections and policymaking.

3. Overview Interest Group
Organization whose members share policy views on specific issues
Operate at every level of government
Attempt to influence public policy to their benefit
-Typically through money
Many Americans are skeptical of interest groups because the main way they influence policy is with money in the form of political donations. In fact, interest groups could be determined to be what Madison was referring to when he wrote about the dangers of factions in politics.

4. Overview As a Linkage Institution
Express members’ preferences to government
Convey policy information to members
Raise and spend money to influence policymakers

5. Difference from Political Parties
Politicians
Parties
-seek to gain power
Interest Groups
-seek to influence policies
-support sympathetic candidates

6. Difference from Political Parties
Issues
Parties
-generalists
-appeal to wide range of voters
Interest Groups
-specific issues that affect their members
-better able to articulate clear policy positions

7. Difference from Political Parties
Accountability
Parties
-elections make them accountable to the public
Interest Groups
-private organizations only accountable to their members

8. Growth of Interest Groups
Prevalence
Began as business and labor organizations
Now include environmental, consumer, and political groups
Multi-trillion dollar U.S. budget means most organizations want representation and influence over how money is spent and laws are enacted
Initial forms of interest groups included the Sons of Liberty and 19th century abolitionist groups. In the late 19th century, business and labor organizations began to appear.