1. US Politics
Interest Groups

2. 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

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

4. Logic of Collective Action
Prisoner’s Dilemma

5. 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

6. 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:

7. Rat
Hang Tough
Rat
Hang Tough
Prisoners’ Dilemma

8. 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

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

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

11. 0 , 10 10 , 0 Prisoners’ Dilemma Column Player Rat Hang Tough Rat Row

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

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

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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”

20. 3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

21. 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

22. 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

23. 3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

24. 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

25. 3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

26. 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

27. 3 , 3 1 , 4 4 , 1 2 , 2 Prisoners’ Dilemma Don’t Cooperate Cooperate

28. 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

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

30. 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

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

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

33. 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?

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

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

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

37. 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?

38. 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

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

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

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

42. 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