American Interest Groups
How do interest groups influence policy? Use examples to illustrate your answer.
“Interest groups are no less a threat than they are an expression of freedom” (Berry, 1984).
We start this essay with this famous quote from Berry introducing us to what exactly an interest group is. Indeed in general, public opinion and people unaware of an interest group’s actions might regard interest groups in a negative light. The more famous interest groups can tend to generate a lot of negative publicity. For instance, in the US one of the most famous interest groups is the National Rifle Association, which defends the right to bear weapons. This, of course, has led to controversy especially given the recent high school shootings in places such as Virginia and Columbine; and in international news, the October 2007 high school shootings in Finland.
Let us now consider David Truman’s definition of an interest group: “An interest group is any group that is based in one or more shared attitudes and makes certain claims upon other groups or organisation in the society.”
In other words, an interest group is a like company defending its interests with very precise methods. Interest groups are present in all branches of society. They can concern lots of issues, or even just one. For example there are interest groups in areas such as agriculture, economics and labour to mention just a few. Interest groups have always existed in the US as documented by Alexis de Tocqueville, a French economist of the nineteenth century. He thoroughly analysed the role of interest groups in nineteenth century American Democracy. He stresses their usefulness in a democratic society.
We can quote one sentence taken from his tome one, “Democracy in America”, published between 1835 and 1840 (translated from the French): “ the democracy draws its force from the fact that people have the possibility of organizing themselves, to make known their point of view, to produce results and to
“Interest groups are no less a threat than they are an expression of freedom” (Berry, 1984).
We start this essay with this famous quote from Berry introducing us to what exactly an interest group is. Indeed in general, public opinion and people unaware of an interest group’s actions might regard interest groups in a negative light. The more famous interest groups can tend to generate a lot of negative publicity. For instance, in the US one of the most famous interest groups is the National Rifle Association, which defends the right to bear weapons. This, of course, has led to controversy especially given the recent high school shootings in places such as Virginia and Columbine; and in international news, the October 2007 high school shootings in Finland.
Let us now consider David Truman’s definition of an interest group: “An interest group is any group that is based in one or more shared attitudes and makes certain claims upon other groups or organisation in the society.”
In other words, an interest group is a like company defending its interests with very precise methods. Interest groups are present in all branches of society. They can concern lots of issues, or even just one. For example there are interest groups in areas such as agriculture, economics and labour to mention just a few. Interest groups have always existed in the US as documented by Alexis de Tocqueville, a French economist of the nineteenth century. He thoroughly analysed the role of interest groups in nineteenth century American Democracy. He stresses their usefulness in a democratic society.
We can quote one sentence taken from his tome one, “Democracy in America”, published between 1835 and 1840 (translated from the French): “ the democracy draws its force from the fact that people have the possibility of organizing themselves, to make known their point of view, to produce results and to