18th Century Interest Groups

(Britannica) Interest group, also called special interest group or pressure group, is any association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favor. All interest groups share a desire to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes. Their goal could be a policy that exclusively benefits group members or one segment of society (e.g., government subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader public purpose (e.g., improving air quality). They attempt to achieve their goals by lobbying. (Zorack, 1990) Lobbying, one of the oldest professions, has always been part of our political and legislative system.
The first mass social movement catalyzed around the provocative political figure, John Wilkes. (Cash, 2006) After a later period of exile, brought about by further charges of libel and obscenity, Wilkes stood for the Parliamentary seat at Middlesex, where most of his support was located. When Wilkes was imprisoned in the King's Bench Prison on 10 May 1768, a mass movement of support emerged, with large demonstrations in the streets under the slogan "No liberty, no King". This was the first ever sustained interest group it involved public meetings, demonstrations, the distribution of pamphlets on an unprecedented scale and the mass petition march. However, the movement was careful not to cross the line into open rebellion, it tried to rectify the faults in governance through appeals. (Eugene Charlton Black, 1963) Another important interest group that emerged in the late 18th century was the British abolitionist movement against slavery. Starting with an organized sugar boycott in 1791, it led the second great petition drive of 1806, which brought about the banning of the slave trade in
Examples: US Brewer’s Association, National Association of Manufacturers.
• Labor Groups – A labor union is an organization of workers who share the same type of job or who work in the same industry. Labor unions exercise considerable power in government, but sometimes disagree on policy matters
• Agricultural Groups - Farm groups work to protect the dwindling number of farmers.
• Professional Groups – Professionals are generally defined as those occupations that require extensive and specialized training, such as medicine, law, teaching, and so on.

Other Interest Groups
• Groups that Promote Causes - Interest groups work to promote an endless variety of causes, from civil liberties to temperance
• Organizations that Promote the Welfare of Certain Groups - Many groups work to promote the interests of certain segments of the