Task 5 - GROUP POLITICS

–> Interest groups as major link btw gov and the governed

• Communal groups • Institutional groups • Associated groups

–> Embedded in social fabric • Membership based on birth • Shared heritage • Traditional bonds and loyalties Ex: Families, tribes, castes, ethnic groups

–> Part of the machinery of gov • Attempt to exert influence in and through it • No autonomy • May become main form of interest articulation (authoritarian regimes) Ex: Bureaucracy, military

–> Formed by ppl who purse shared goals • voluntary action • common interests / aspirations • feature of industrialized state Ex: Interest or pressure groups

-> Main function: Deal w gov and public bodies • variety of forms • variety of concerns • local, national or international

• sectional or promotional groups • insider or outisder groups

• to advance / protect interests of members • represent a section of society • ex: trade unions, business corps, trade associations, professional bodies

• to advance shared values, ideals or principles • promote collective not selective benefits • help groups other than members • ex: NGOs

• enjoy regular, privileged and institut. access to gov • overlap btw sectional and insider • with objectives broadly compatible with those of gov + demonstrate that members abide by decisions

• not consulted by gov / consulted irregularly • often as weakness • some choose to be preservation of ideological purity protect decentralized power structures

• Pluralism • Corporatism • The New Right

–> stress capacity of Gs to defend individual from gov and promote democracy • Core theme: pol power is fragmented • decisions through complex process • ensures views of larger number of groups

• larger representation • with spread of behavioralism • GPs as the core of democratic process • characterized by balance of power • potential replacement of pol parties

• elitists: only recognize one face of power (ability to influence decision-making • marxists: pol power closely linked to ownership of ruling class • neo-marxists: unequal comp btw business and labour groups • glob: process leads to corporate takeover of gov

-> analyze closer links that developed in industralized societies btw groups and state • corporatism: social theory emphasizing privilege of some groups in relation to gov more influence on public policy!

• symbiotic relation btw gov and groups • present in all advanced ind. states? • seek ‘insider’ status (more access to policy formulation) • privileges econ or functional groups (form of tripartitism?)

• may leave part of society out • too much privilege to few • portrays hierarchical order and leader domination mechanism of social control? • threat to democracy (decisions outside democratic reach) • gov captured by consulted groups

-> antipathy towards interest groups derived from individualism that lies at neoliberal economics

• self-reliance and entrepreneuralism • concern for corporatism and escalating public spending • concerned with over-gov • argue that interest Gs exist to secure public goods free-riders no true common interest (question pol voice) • argue that it benefits small groups • see it as main determinant for econ failure

• political culture • institutional culture • party politics • nature and style of public policy

• determines whether IGs are seen as legitimate or non-legitimate actors • affects willingness of ppl to form/join organized IGs or to engage in politics - regimes may practice monism ensure gov control - regimes can encourage IGs (japan, usa) ensure freedom - regimes can see it w suspicion (france) undermine general will of ppl

unitary/centralized - tend to narrow scope of GP - concentrated around exec branch of gov - more capacity of gov to decide whether to respond fragmented/decentralized - reflects impact of bicameralism, separation of powers and federalism - super vulnerable: more access points - stimulus of group formation - ‘veto’ groups

-> complex relationship w IGs - some senses rivals - broader aggregation of interests/ideological goals - IGs seek narrower objectives to exert influence in and through parties