POSC150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Free Rider Problem
Document Summary
Bridge the gap between voters and politicians. Interest groups: organizations are united by a common political goal and seek to influence government decisions. Political parties: organizations that are united by ideological goals and seek to control government. Interest groups are more narrow: single goals, does not have electoral pressures so can keep pressuring groups. In order for them to be intermediaries there should be an interest group for every interest: the government represents everyone"s needs fairly. Business interests are mostly represented: 51% business, 3% for workers and poor, 59% lobbyists and 78% lobby spending for business. If higher class, more likely to be part of an interest group. The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that there heavenly chorus singing with a strong upper-class accent . Of interest group represents executive and other occupations are not represented nearly as such. Groups for to fight for collective goods. Some benefit that everyone gets if anyone gets it.
