US Politics Interest Groups

Overview Definition of Interest Group The Role of Interest Groups Why Join? Logic of Collective Action Benefits Delivered Types of Interest Groups Influence and Importance

Definition Interest Group: An organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policymakers

Logic of Collective Action Prisoner’s Dilemma

Prisoners’ Dilemma Scenario: You and an accomplice are arrested on suspicion of committing some nasty crime The District Attorney and the police have been unable to produce enough evidence to convict you of that offense

Prisoners’ Dilemma We do have enough evidence to convict you of some lesser charge The only way the DA can nail you for the more serious offense is if one of you rats out the other Conversely, you and your partner can largely elude prosecution if you both stay silent You and your partner are placed in separate holding cells and are unable to communicate with each other DA enters and offers you the following:

Rat Hang Tough Rat Hang Tough Prisoners’ Dilemma

From your perspective, you and your accomplice are faced with the following: Don’t Cooperate with each other (rat) Cooperate with each other (hang tough) Don’t Cooperate with each other (rat) Cooperate with each other (hang tough) Prisoners’ Dilemma

Rat Hang Tough 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough Prisoners’ Dilemma

Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough Prisoners’ Dilemma

0 , 10 10 , 0 Prisoners’ Dilemma Column Player Rat Hang Tough Rat Row

Rat Hang Tough 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 Prisoners’ Dilemma

Rat Hang Tough 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma

What to do? Which strategy should you select? Hang Tough 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma

5, 5 0, 10 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma Dominant Strategy Rat Hang Tough Dominant Strategy 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma

5, 5 0, 10 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma Dominant Strategy Rat Hang Tough Dominant Strategy 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma

Neither player can improve his/her position, Nash Equilibrium Rat Hang Tough 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma

Neither player can unilaterally improve his/her position Nash Equilibrium Rat Hang Tough 5, 5 0, 10 Rat Hang Tough 10, 0 1, 1 Prisoners’ Dilemma

Prisoners’ Dilemma Generalized Form: Rank Outcomes, from most preferred to least preferred 1 = first choice 2 = second choice 3 = third choice 4 = fourth choice Choice is “cooperate” or “not cooperate”

3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

Prisoners’ Dilemma Symbolic Form: We’re in a Prisoner’s Dilemma situation whenever: T > R > P > S Temptation to defect > Rewards of Cooperation Rewards > Punishment for Not Cooperating Punishment > Sucker’s Payoff

Prisoners’ Dilemma Note that even if we start at the cooperative outcome, that outcome is not stable Each player can improve his/her position by adopting a different strategy

3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

Prisoners’ Dilemma But since both players have changed strategy we end up at the non-cooperative outcome, where both players are worse off than if they had chosen to cooperate

3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

Prisoners’ Dilemma And, as we noted, this non-cooperative outcome is also a Nash equilibrium outcome; Neither player has any incentive to change strategy since whoever changes will do immediately worse by making the move

3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

PD & Interest Groups If a “collective good” is involved, individuals have little incentive to work towards achieving that good. Makes sense for others to do the work and sit back and reap the benefits of their labor But if that’s the case, then no one will do the work and the collective benefit won’t be delivered

PD & Interest Groups Groups need to overcome the logic of collective action Provide benefits so that potential members recalculate the costs/benefits of contributing

Benefits Delivered Material Incentives Solidary Benefits monetary or other tangible rewards offered in exchange for membership Solidary Benefits the positive gain of associating with other people Purposive Incentive close identification of the group goal with personal goals

Types of Interest Groups Economic Interest Groups Business Labor Agriculture Professional Associations

Types of Interest Groups Environmental Groups “Public Interest” Groups “Single Interest” or “Other”

Sources of Power Interest Group success on an issue is a measure of the power of the interest group where “success” means ability to get political actors to adopt and implement positions and policies favorable to the group The more success, the greater the power What sources of power can interest groups draw on?

Sources of Power Membership Size Total number of active members Total number of “sympathetic” persons Financial Resources

Sources of Power Cohesiveness Will membership act as unifed force? Will membership participate fully in group activities like: Letter writing, voting, boycotting, protesting

Sources of Power Leadership Will leaders effectively expand membership and recruit Public relations Lobbying efforts

Interest Group Strategies Recall definition of interest groups: An organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policymakers So, how do we influence policymakers?

Interest Group Strategies Two main strategies: Insider Involves direct contact between IG and the political actor being influenced Outsider IG uses third parties from “beyond the beltway” to influence political actors

Interest Group Strategies Insider Lobbying providing information testifying before members of Congress presenting evidence to bureaucratic agencies informal social gatherings

Interest Group Strategies Direct Campaign Assistance Volunteer to staff/help in campaign Contributions

Interest Group Strategies Outsider Build alliances with other interest groups to influence political figures Mobilize/shape public opinion Mobilize constituents Litigate

Interest Group Impact Interest Groups provide an important opportunity for citizen participation in the political process Yet the growth of interest groups on specific issues has potential to mask “private” interest as public policy