PSC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Direct Lobbying In The United States, Grassroots Lobbying, First Amendment To The United States Constitution

• School: University of Alabama
• Department: Political Science
• Course: PSC 101
• Professor: Stephanie Paul

Document Summary

Interest groups are private organizations or voluntary associations whose members hold certain views and work to shape public policy. Organized to support a cause or ideology. Organized to advance or protect interest of their members. Increase in government activities: interest groups form as a response to those activities. Disturbance theory: groups form when interests are threatened. Social cleavages along income, occupational, religious, racial and cultural lines. Nature of american constitutional system: access points. Stimulates political activity including interest group activity (federalism and separation of power: different decision making centers) Decline of political parties: system is more fragmented. Factions are inevitable due to the nature of man - question how to guard them. Fear of faction: unequal distribution of property in society. Feared especially a majority faction of the unpropertied classes. Interest groups are another way for citizens to influence government leaders besides voting. Elevates influence of interest groups at the expense of political parties.