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Political Science 104 with Mayer at University of Wisconsin - Madison

About this deck

By: K S
Textbook:

American Government: Power and Purpose, Tenth Full Edition

The Enduring Debate: Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, Fifth Edition
Created: 2010-04-11
Size: 36 flashcards
Views: 5

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Current events

House passes senate bill as is, leading to enacted law
House and senate then work on changes

Definition

a group of individuals who associate for the purpose of influencing government generally to promote some value or interest

Importance

politics is a group activity, has little meaning when only one person is involved

Majoritarian principle

elections legislature voting, etc

interest groups

aarp, sierra club, nra, etc

Organization and participation

We know something about laws and institutions that define the setting
How do individuals organize in order to influence those processes
Political organizations
Collective behavior (collective action)
political organizations
benefits and disadvantages of political organizations
De Tocqueville
Madison, Fed 10
Classic theory of political organization

lobby

provide info to office holders, persuade

communicate

demonstrate widespread support to both public and policymaking

support candidates

contributions, independent efforts

goal

move policy in preferred direction

monitor government

so people are aware of what gov is doing

We know something about laws and institutions that define the setting

The rules for resolving political disagreement
The rules for making collective decisions
The incentives and influences on individuals in the national institutions

How do individuals organize in order to influence those processes

Elections are the most obviouse

Political organizations

Questions
Political organizations

Questions

Why do people organize in order to influence policy and politics
What shapes our political attitudes
What determines our level of political participation
How do we choose our elected officials
How does public opinion shape government policy

Collective behavior (collective action)

In a majoritarian system, a single individual has limited influence

Political organizations

Definition: a group of individuals who associate for the purpose of influencing government generally to promote some value or interest
Importance: politics is a group activity, has little meaning when only one person is involved

Importance: politics is a group activity, has little meaning when only one person is involved

Majoritarian principle: elections legislature voting, etc
The more people, the more likely you will succeed

In a majoritarian system, a single individual has limited influence

1 vote will rarely be decisive even in a small legislature
in order to wield political influence and power in a majoritarian system, you must act as a group

political organizations

examples
not all orgs are political
what organizations do

in order to wield political influence and power in a majoritarian system, you must act as a group

larger groups have more influence because they can determine more outcomes
but creating and maintaining groups is costly, takes resources and time

examples

political parties
trade associations
interest groups: aarp, sierra club, nra, etc
political action committees (PAC): give more resources to support candidates
congressional caucuses

benefits and disadvantages of political organizations

orgs provide channels for political influence and make government responsible
make broad participation possible, and mobilize constituents
monitor government: so people are aware of what gov is doing
BUT

not all orgs are political

if not organized to influence government

interest groups: aarp, sierra club, nra, etc

groups trying to achieve a particular outcome

congressional caucuses

organization of legislatorys

what organizations do

lobby: provide info to office holders, persuade
communicate: demonstrate widespread support to both public and policymaking
mobilize
support candidates: contributions, independent efforts
internal maintenance and growth
goal: move policy in preferred direction

De Tocqueville

At founding not really any political orgs
French citizen who traveled to us in 1831 to study American prison system
Classic European take on America

BUT

Orgs can fragment public into groups more concerned with narrow interests
Use power of gov to provide localized benefits at expense of the public

At founding not really any political orgs

De t is one of the first studies of political orgs

Madison, Fed 10

Framers were very suspicious of factions or any group organized around a particularized interests
Saw factions as threat
How to deal with this
Those solutions are inconsistent with liberty

Classic European take on America

Lots of interest in how American systems maintained stability
Detailed about how we more equal
Political associations are a way to protect the minority against the tyranny of the majority
Orgs stimulate competition over the arguments most likely to make an impression on the majority

Classic theory of political organization

Pluralism

How to deal with this

Suppress causes of disagreement
Suppress the ability of factions to influence government

Suppress causes of disagreement

But people will always disagree