The Influence of Business Groups on Government Decisions

“The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent” (p. 336), this statement is written by E.E Schattschneider. This debate surrounds the extreme amount of power or influence business groups have on government. For most of us who pay attention to government issues, it is obvious that the business elites basically make all the decisions concerning society when they only count as the minority in our society. Their rules, laws, and ways of thinking are usually implemented on the other members of our society. Business groups have first opportunity in making demands and decisions, although author of the Canadian Politics text book Rand Dyck says we are all given equal opportunity in decision making (p. 137), this is not true because the higher you are on the hierarchy the better chance you have of voicing out your opinion and issues. As an example, most decisions we see our government make today are catered more towards the rich or business owners. Business groups do have privileged access to government in lots of uncountable ways like being given closer attention, they have knowledge of politics that is needed by the state, and they have unlimited resources because of their social network with politicians. The other side of the debate argues that thousands of business groups go broke each year, that consumers and business groups do have equal amount of influence on government, and that both business groups and the public must “compete” in the marketplace of ideas and values, (Stanbury, p. 359). The YES side of the debate is more persuasive and believable than the opposite side of the argument.
According to William D. Coleman’s article, “Charles Lindblom says that ‘business persons are, in fact, public officials,’” (p. 339). I agree with this statement because business men and women are the ones usually seen holding government offices or positions, it seems like the regular everyday people are not given equal

References: Coleman, W. D. Do Business Groups Have Privileged Access to Government? Issue Seventeen. Dyck, R. (2006). Canadian Politics: Concise Fourth Edition. Nelson Education Ltd. Toronto, Ontario. Stanbury, W. T. Assessing the Political Power of Business Interests. Issue Seventeen.