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Ch11
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Defining Interest Groups
o An organization of people with shared policy goals entering thepolicy process at several points to try to achieve those goals.Interest groups pursue their goals in many arenas.
o Political Parties fight election battles, Interest Groups dont - butthey may choose sides.
o Interest Groups are policy specialists, Political Parties are policygeneralists.
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Pluralist Theory
Elite Theory
Hyperpluralist Theory
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Pluralism :
o Politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing
for its own preferred policies.
o Many centers of power and many diverse, competing groups.
o No group wins or loses all the time.
o Groups provide the key link between the people and the
government.
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Pluralism
o Groups provide a key link between people and government.
o Groups compete.
o
No one group is likely to become too dominant.o Groups usually play by the rules of the game.
o Groups weak in one resource can use another.
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Elitism
o Societies are divided along class lines and an upper-class elite
rules, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental
organization.
o Numerous groups mean nothing, power is not equally divided
among them - some have much more.
o The largest corporations hold the most power.
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Elitism
o Elite power is strengthened by a system of interlocking directoratesof these corporations and other institutions.
o Corporate elites are willing to lose the minor policy battles, but work
to win the major policy issues in their favor.o Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of
the many.
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Hyperpluralism
o The many sub-governments (iron triangles) aggravate the process.
o When the government tries to please all the groups, the policies
become confusing and contradictory.
o With more interest groups getting involved, these sub-governments
may be dissolving.
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The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups
o Potential group: All the people who might be interest groupmembers because they share a common interest.
o Actual group: The part of the potential group consisting of members
who actually join.o Collective good: Something of value that cannot be withheld from a
group member
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o Free-Rider problem: Some people dont join interest groups because
they benefit from the groups activities without officially joining.
o The bigger the group, the larger the free-rider problem. (Olsons law
of large groups)
o Large groups are difficult to keep organized.
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o Small groups are better organized and more focused on the groups
goals.
o Consumer groups have a difficult time getting significant policy
gains - the benefits are spread over the entire population.
o Groups that can provide selective benefits can overcome thisproblem.
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Intensity
o Single-Issue groups: Groups that focus on a narrow interest and
dislike compromise.
o Groups may focus on an emotional issue, providing them with a
psychological advantage.
o May be more likely to use protests and other means of political
participation than traditional interest groups that use lobbyists.
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Financial Resources
o Not all groups have equal amounts of money.
o Monetary donations usually translate into access to the politicians -
a phone call, a meeting, etc.
o There is a bias towards the wealthier groups.
o The wealthier groups dont always win in the policy arena.
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Lobbying
o communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his own
behalf, directed to a governmental decisionmaker with the hope of
influencinghis decision. (Lester Milbrath)
o Two basic types: Those that are employed by a group, and those that
are hired temporarily.
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o Lobbyists are a source of information.
o Lobbyists can help politicians plan political strategies for legislation.
o Lobbyists can help politicians plan political strategies for reelection
campaigns.
o Lobbyists can provide ideas and innovations that can be turned into
policies that the politician can take credit for.
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Electioneering
o Direct group involvement in the election process.
o Political Action Committee (PAC): Used by interest groups to donate
money to candidates.
o PACs help pay the bill for increasing campaign costs.
o Most PAC money goes to incumbents.
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Litigation
o If an interest group fails in one arena, the courts may be able to
provide a remedy.
o Interest groups can file amicus curiae briefs in court cases to
support their position.
o Class Action lawsuits permit small groups of people to try and
correct a situation on behalf of a much larger group.
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Going Public
o Groups try and cultivate a good public image.
o Groups use marketing strategies to influence public opinion of the
group and its issues.
o Groups will purchase advertising to motivate the public about an
issue.
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Economic Interests
o Labor
o Agriculture
o Business
Environmental Interests
Equality Interests
Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies
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Interest Groups and Democracy
o James Madisons solution to the problems posed by interest groupswas to create a wide-open system in which groups compete.
o Elite theorists point to the proliferation of business PACs as
evidence of interest group corruption.o Hyperpluralists maintain that group influence has led to policy
gridlock.
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Interest Groups and the Scope of Government
o Interest groups seek to maintain policies and programs that benefit
them.
o Interest groups continue to pressure government to do more things.
o But as the government does more things, does that cause the
formation of more groups?