"What have social scientists discovered about interest groups?
What can we discover about interest groups?"
3) comparatively
"What part do
interest groups play in other countries?"
Theoretically
elite theory
Interest groups are just another part
of the elite political system.
They are dominated by elites and thus
reflect elite interests and elite values. How should they be structured?
plural theory
Interest groups are at the heart of the
plural political system.
They are the vehicles through which individual
interests are articulated
and through bargaining, accomodation and
compromise
(ie., group competition) individual rights
are protected.
democratic theory
Interest groups are not found within the context of participatory
democratic
theory but are part of the nature of representative democracy.
Empirically
What evidence can be examined to test
the competing theories?
possible evidence to explore:
1) what are the types of interest groups?
2) what are the sources of interest groups' power?
3) what are the characteristics of interest group leaders?
4) what are the generic values of interest group actors?
5) where are decisions made?
6) whose values to decisions reflect?
What can we learn from MicroCase?
From other social scientists?
Types of Interest Groups
1) economic
primarily concerned with their own economic self-interest
(ie., material incentive)
most powerful and most successful
exs.: labor and business groups
2) ideological
primarily motivated by the psychic (ideological) incentive
least successful
exs.: ACLU, chuches, John Birch Society
3) economic/ideological
also known as professional interest groups
have an economic motivation but also have
a professional ethos
strong and successful, especially in their
area of expertise
exs.: American Medical Association,
National Education Association,
Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion
4) minority
represent the interests of particular
ethnic/racial groups
primarily economic interests
generally not very succesful
exs.: National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People,
Jewish Defense League, Congress
of Racial Equality, LUCHA
5) formal government organizations
governmental organizations repreent the
economic interests of their members and also generally have a professional
ethos/ ideology which motivates them
very successful
exs.: any government bureaucracy,
ie., Department of Defense,
Department of Education, Department of
Justice,
Ohio State Police
Interest Group Resources
1) size
2) unity
3) intensity
4) prestige
5) skilled leadership
6) money (the convertible resource)
Conditions that Increase
Interest Group Strength
1) absence of countervailing grooups
2) lack of public attentiveness
3) institutional setting in which
decision is made
Who are most likely to join interest groups?
What are their socio-demographic characteristics/
What are interest group leaders like?
Role of lawyers in interest groups
Types of Interest Group
Influence
1) in partisan politics
the role of interest groups in campaigns
2) in the legislature
lobbying
3) in the court system
amicus curiae briefs
4) in the bureaucracy
Lowi's Cozy or Iron Triangle:
the set of mutually beneficial relationships
built between interest groups, congressional committeepersons,
and bureaucrats
Comparatively
relative absence of interest groups in
Ruritania
do interest groups fill a necessary interest
articulation function in a system
in which elections are not about the articulation
of interests?