Interest Groups

1
Interest Groups

• Outline
• Interest Groups in Context
• Why Join?
• Types of Interest Groups
• Regulating Interest Groups
• Case Study The Drug Industry

2
Interest Groups

• Interest Groups in Context
• a. Definition
• b. Politics and Interest Groups
• c. Functions of Interest Groups
• d. Activities and Goals

3
Interest Groups

• II. Why Join an Interest Group?
• a. Traditional Arguments
• b. The Logic of Collective Action
• b. Necessity for Selective Benefits
• - Material, Solidarity and Purposive

4
Interest Groups

• III. Types of Interest Groups
• a. Membership Organizations
• b. Non-Member Organizations
• c. Who has the Upper Hand?

5
Interest Groups

• d. From Iron Triangles to Issue
• Networks
• - More interests represented
• now

6
Interest Groups

• IV. Regulating Interest Groups
• a. Problems with Congress
• b. Recent Headlines Proposals
• c. Current Laws regarding Lobbying

7
Interest Groups

• d. Possible Solutions
• - More Laws?
• - Political Leadership?
• - Voter Accountability?
• e. Broader Approaches
• - Term Limits