College Essays-American Political Science
Lecture Summary
Interest groups are central to American politics. The Framers of the Constitution were deeply concerned that “selfish interests” would work against the national good. James Madison’s response was pluralism. Interest groups, in a sense, would self-regulate through a process Madison called pluralism. Competition between many interests would create moderation and compromise.
In a democracy as large as the United States, interest groups are the best means for the individual’s voice to be heard. Each group forms a financial base, leadership structure, and membership. Theodore Lowi argues that lobbyists not only advance economic interests but also “public interests”. These “public interest groups do not necessarily seek economic gain. Lowi refers to these groups are being part of “New Politics”. Lowi is very critical of these new interests. He refers to their practice as a “vulgar form of pluralism”. His 1979 work “End of Liberalism” levels a number of damning indictments of public interest politics. Among them, he feels that public interest groups distort politics, lack an underlying philosophy, and weaken partisan identification with the citizen. Lowi sees interest groups driving political parties.
Interest group strategies for gaining influence include lobbying, gain access to key decision makers, litigation, going public with a specific issue, going partisan, and bribery. Of all six, bribery is the only illegal, although seldom used, act
How has New Politics changed how interest groups lobby in the political system?
A dilemma is presented by the values of liberty and equality in regard to interest group activity. On one hand, individuals should have the liberty to organize themselves politically in order to express their views. On the other hand, there is a strong class bias in the politics of organized interests. How has the U. S. government sought to regulate group activity in order to balance these competing values? What else might government do to make politics less biased? What are the potential consequences- both good and bad- of the actions you suggest?
Describe the different techniques of influence used by organized interests. When is one technique preferable to another? With the rise of the New Politics movement, different techniques are now used more frequently. Which ones? Why, do you think, a
