Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Interest groups power in politics
Interest groups power in politics
The role of interest groups in politics
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Interest groups power in politics
The Role of Linkage Institutions in Society Imagine a world without linkage institutions. It is a world where people have no interests, and do not form groups that connect people who have similar views to the government. There are no concerns for the government and no way for mere citizens to receive the change they wish for without the strength that comes in numbers. Linkage institutions allow people a way of presenting their ideas in a way that will influence policies and improve their country’s ever-changing political views. Linkage Institutions The definition of a linkage institution is a structure within society that connects the people to the government. Formal and informal linkage institutions draw people together. Examples of formal linkage institutions are congress, presidency, the house, and senate. Examples of informal linkage institutions are interest groups, political parties, public opinion, elections, and media. Both informal and formal linkage institutions have the same common cause: to connect people to the government, but the efficiency of each is questionable. Factors that can affect the capabilities of each are cleavages in society, Duverger’s Law, and formal representation. Cleavages in Society Cleavages existing in society are divisions such as religion, gender, race, and most importantly socioeconomic status. Political parties form around these divisions in society and in America’s society; money has proven to be the major factor. The major parties in American politics are Democrat and Republican, and the political preference of each member of these parties’ deals greatly with the amount of income they receive. Duverger’s Law Duverger’s Law states that a plurality rule election system tends to favor a two-... ... middle of paper ... ...). This is done so that during the creation of new amendments and laws the legislatures will consider the views of these committees and make a thoughtful choice for the interest of American citizens. Linkage institutions become powerful when there is a large amount of people in the groups because elected officials begins to rely upon the votes to win elections, therefore they adopt the views of the interest as a way to ensure the votes. Conclusion Informal linkage institutions influence formal linkage institutions, the groups effectively inform legislatures about their views in hopes of gaining influence over them. These groups also allow Americans to display their views and maintain their freedom of speech. When interest groups combine for a common purpose, they become stronger and louder, which allows everyday citizens to gain an active role in their government.
American democracy is fluid; it is constantly evolving and changing. The earliest divide in American politics stems from the very establishment of the government. Regardless of the hope the American founders possessed, political parties began to form almost immediately as the country began to take shape. Today, the two main parties are the Democrats and the Republicans, however each party was not always the same at their start as they are currently.
Party is an inevitable feature of the democracy and it is defined as ‘an autonomous group of citizens having the purpose of making nominations and contesting elections in the hope of gaining control over governmental power through the capture of public offices and the organization of the government’ (Caramani, 2011, p.220). Parties are ubiquitous in modern political systems and they perform a number of functions, they are: coordination, contesting elections, recruitment, and representation (Caramani, 2011). Political parties are the product of the parliamentary and electoral game, and party systems reflect the social oppositions that characterize society when parties first appear (Coxall et al., 2011).
Essentially, interest groups use many different tactics to accomplish their central goals but this paper will detail 2 of them. The first being lobbying, which is the act of persuading businesses as well as government leaders to help a specific organization by changing laws or creating events in favor of that group. Interest groups use this technique by hiring someone to represent them and advocate their cause to on the behalf of the entire group. These hired representatives usually have more than enough experience within the political field and are able to persuade connections within the government for help with their concerns. This method gets a lot of criticism because although lobbyist offer their input to government officials on pending laws, they only look at what is favorable for their cause. When trying to make a difference you have to not only reflect on your argument but on the side affects of that argument as
Congressional committees are the part of the iron triangle that puts bills into the legislative process after they work with interest groups. A member of a congressional committee proposes a bill into the committee to be voted on. Members of congressional committees are members of the legislative branch, so when they propose the bill into their committee they work with the other members to get it passed. If one member doesn't like the bill they can try to get the bill maker to change it to his liking so he will vote for it. For example in my congressional committee, the judiciary committee, congressman Mclenan proposed a bill to give tax cuts to banks who approve a certain amount of low income people's loans. We all thought that other people that needed loans might be overlooked just because they were not low income people. We made him make guidelines for that issue, so we could vote for it.
In the 1790s, soon after the ratification of the Constitution, political parties were nonexistent in the USA because President Washington feared they would drive the country apart. However, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, with their rivalling mental models, could not help but spark the division of the United States into the Democratic-Republican and Federalist parties. These parties, the Democratic-Republican wanting a small, local government system and the Federalist wanting a strong, powerful government system, turned citizens against one another and eventually led to the inimical Democratic and Republican parties of today. Hence, the formation of the original political parties in the United States is very significant. Political
. Factions can be present in many different settings in society. They can be a passion for different opinions on religions, government, or war. Madison claims that "the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever been formed distinct interests in society." The modern government includes factions as necessary operations, and the regulation of these interest groups form the foremost assignment of legislation.
Over the course of the semester, we have learned about the informal process of the government. In our first paper of the semester, we analyzed how the news media coverage’s role of acting as the fourth branch of the government and its effectiveness in educating the public. The second paper involved the informal workings and strategies of an interest group, but also focused on an interest group’s structure and membership. Finally, we read several political novels to see their role and political impact on the mass public.
In discussing the problems surrounding the issue of factionalism in American society, James Madison concluded in Federalist #10, "The inference to which we are brought is that the causes of cannot be removed and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects." (Federalist Papers 1999, 75) In many ways, the nature of American politics has revolved around this question since our country's birth. What is the relationship between parties and government? Should the party serve as an intermediary between the populace and government, and how should a government respond to disparate ideas espoused by the factions inherent to a free society. This paper will discuss the political evolution that has revolved around this question, examining different "regimes" and how they attempted to reconcile the relationship between power and the corresponding role of the people. Beginning with the Federalists themselves, we will trace this evolution until we reach the contemporary period, where we find a political climate described as "interest-group liberalism." Eventually this paper will seek to determine which has been the most beneficial, and which is ultimately preferable.
These pluralistic interest groups are free to operate and lobby in the political arena, fighting against the majority and other competing factions for voice in Congress. With the influence of multiple factions operating throughout the political system, a balance of power is created (Kernell 2000, 429). This is much like the international theory of sovereign states balancing each other’s power to create a political system that focuses on stability, yet is always in a constant flux of power. With this in mind, special interest groups are constantly contending for power by raising money, campaigning, and lobbying in Congress. When a special interest group is threatened by a competing policy, the group will organize efforts to balance, or transcend the power of the competing group.
These institutions and associations are inter-related in a particular arrangement and thus create the pattern of social structure.
Today, political parties can be seen throughout everyday life, prevalent in various activities such as watching television, or seeing signs beside the road while driving. These everyday occurrences make the knowledge of political parties commonly known, especially as the two opposing political parties: the Republicans and the Democrats. Republican and Democrats have existed for numerous years, predominantly due to pure tradition, and the comfort of the ideas each party presents. For years, the existence of two political parties has dominated the elections of the president, and lower offices such as mayor, or the House of Representatives. Fundamentally, this tradition continues from the very emergence of political parties during the election of 1796, principally between Federalist John Adams and Anti-federalist Thomas Jefferson. Prior to this election people unanimously conformed to the ideas of one man, George Washington, and therefore did not require the need for political parties.1 However, following his presidency the public was divided with opposing opinions, each arguing the best methods to regulate the country. Ultimately, the emergence of different opinions regarding the future of the United States involving the economy, foreign relations, ‘the masses,’ and the interpretation of the Constitution, led to the two political parties of the 1790s and the critical election of 1800.
Political Divide in the United States The political divide in the United States is very bad. The two main political parties are the democrats and the republicans. The two parties dislike each other and each other's views. Abortion is something that has been talked about a lot, some people find it good and others find it as a bad thing. Health care is another issue that is controversial. Another big issue is illegal immigration. The death penalty and euthanasia are also reasons the government is divided. The topic of the right to bear arms is also very controversial, especially with all the murders and riots going on. Global warming, even though it does not seem very political, is a topic that comes up a lot in political speeches and events. And lastly, the separation of church and state is another topic that gets in heated discussions in politics. Not all of these seem like they are political, but they have been made into be, even though they should not have, the United States is divided over them. The political parties have caused the country to be divided. Democrats and Republicans, also known as liberals and conservatives, most people do
From Peter Hall and Rosemary Taylor's study of "New Institutionalism". "New Institutionalism" term that now appear with developing predominance in political science. A portion of the ambiguities obscurity wrapping the new institutionalism can be scattered on the off chance that we see that it doesn't shape a brought together substance of cerebration. Hall and Rosemary introduce three theories of "Institutionalism": "Historical Institutionalism", "Rational Choice Institutionalism", and "Sociological Institutionalism". These theories were enhanced in response to the behavioral view that was legitimate amid the 1960's and 1970's and solicitations to clarify the parts of foundations in demonstrating social and political outgrowth. Among the three
In his essay A dyad of Democracy and Economic Interdependence, Ground in Agent Desires, David R. Newbrander explains that the desire of individuals for security and felicty is what encourages people to get together in order to create a government that would “provide protection from threats, enforcement of law, and stability for industry”.
The democratic party originally established by Thomas Jefferson, “advocated state’s rights, civil liberties, limited executive authority, strict interpretation of the constitution, and minimal regulation of business and commerce, while favoring the middle class in general over the educated and elite”. The republicans however were almost on the opposite spectrum of this viewpoint. Up to today, these two parties have gone even farther away from each other. In a recent study that was conducted on political polarization in America, it was suggested that Partisan antipathy is even deeper and more extensive than at any point in the last two decades. Some argue that polarization is not only dividing American ideology but it is dividing American society. Liberals and conservatives would be unhappy if their children married someone with a different political viewpoint. The result isn’t just polarized politics, but a divided society. With these thoughts in mind, it is inevitable that this polarization issue will soon inflict American culture all together, causing the nation to lose it cultural core values. The study also suggests that this ideological gap between these two has always been consistent and that the consistency remains inevitable. Given this country’s political history, it can be noted that the main issues at