Political Parties Interest Aggregation Interest Representation Political Parties

Political Parties Interest Aggregation Interest Representation

Political Parties vs. Interest Groups n both represent political interests u n n political parties also aggregate interests interest groups strive to influence political outcomes political parties strive to become the governing party

Type of Political Parties n basis of organization u n electoral-professional parties vs. mass parties basis of electoral competition pragmatic parties (brokerage parties) u ideological-programmatic parties u interest parties u

Ideological/Program matic Parties n organized around social cleavages class u religion u ethnicity u region u

The Ideological Spectrum The Left -Socialist More Gov’t The Right -Conservative Less Gov’t • government regulation of the economy • greater reliance on the market • policies to help disadvantaged groups • fewer government regulations • policies to redistribute income • no special treatment for special interest groups • lower taxes

General Trends, Political Parties n the rise of pragmatism u parties increasingly competing to occupy the centre of the political spectrum

The Ideological Spectrum The Rise of Pragmatism The Left -Socialist Tony Blair (Britain) New Labour Bill Clinton (US) New Democrats The Right -Conservative George W. Bush (US) Compassionate Conservatism

General Trends, Political Parties n n single member plurality systems encourage pragmatic parties; PR promotes ideological/interest parties the rise of pragmatism parties increasingly competing to occupy the centre of the political spectrum u reasons? u « the fall of communism

Political Parties & Democracy n mass parties vs. electoralprofessional parties u mass parties encourage greater participation in politics by the public « majoritarian u democrats electoral-professional parties « elite democrats

Political Parties & Democracy n ideological/interest parties vs. pragmatic parties u ideological/interest parties « gives clear electoral choices • help make elections meaningful • encourages greater mass participation • majoritarian democrats u pragmatic parties depend on party elites « elections « • differences between parties are limited • electoral choice is really about best management team • elite democrats

Interest Groups Interest Representation

Interest Groups n are organizations whose members act together to influence gov’t policy on specific issues, without contesting elections (different from parties!) u n lobbying play an important role in representing citizen demands to gov’t

Determinants of Interest Group Influence: size (membership) and cohesion n information, expertise n leadership, level of organization n resources n high-status (celebrity) membership n values, goals, tactics, issue - compatible with broader political culture? e. g. , Sierra Club vs Greenpeace vs Earth First! n

Determinants – cont’d n n links to decision-makers gov’t receptivity, is function of: u u u • budgets philosophy compatible? public opinion supportive? media attention? credibility? institutionalization: degree to which a group has become an acknowledged actor in/part of the political process • • institutional/associational/anomic interest groups co-optation?

Interest Groups and Democracy n liberal democracy u pluralism « as long as individuals are free to form interest groups, interest group competition represents interests in society « groups do not have to be equal; have to have equal opportunity to compete

Interest Groups and Democracy n majoritarian democratic critique of pluralism u interest group politics is grossly uneven « u well-financed, privileged interests hold the advantage the paradox of interest group influence « the strongest interest groups (e. g. economic interests) do not have to lobby in order to have influence

Interest Groups and Democracy n elite democracy u interest group competition and lobbying (even if grossly uneven) is fine so long. . . « as political elites retain the power to make overall decisions in the general welfare • the summation of all interest group demands does not equal the general welfare