1. The Nature of Interest Groups
Chapter 9.1
The Nature of Interest Groups

2. What is an interest group?
Interest Group – A private organization that tries to persuade public officials to respond to the shared attitudes of its members.
Public Policy – All those things that a government attempts to do in order to achieve certain goals.

3. Interest Group vs. Political Party
Interest groups do not nominate candidates for office
Interested in influencing or controlling the policies of government
Almost always concentrate on matters that affect the interest of their members
They are private organizations – not accountable to the general public
Political parties nominate candidates for office
Chiefly interested in winning elections and controlling government
Are concerned with the whole range of public affairs
They are accountable to the general public – voters pass judgment on their performance

4. Interest Groups: Good or Bad?
James Madison (1787): Warned against dangers of “factions.”
A necessary evil – the price for freedom; inevitable in human society
Solution: Moderate violence of factions with a republican remedy (division of power)

5. Functions of Interest Groups
They stimulate interest in public affairs
Members are represented on basis of shared attitudes rather than geography
They provide useful information to government. For example:
Price levels
Employment
Home sales
Serve as vehicles for political participation
Add to checks and balances

6. Criticisms of Interest Groups
They are not always pushing for what’s best for America
Have an influence far out of proportion to their size
Very difficult to tell how many people a group really represents
Many do not always represent the views of all their members
Sometimes corrupt