POLS 1101 1st edition Lecture 26 Outline of Previous Lecture I Quiz in Class II Interest Groups III Special Voting model Outline of Current Lecture I Logic of Collective Action II Incentives III Insider Lobbying IV Interest Group Politics Controversial Thriving Current Lecture I II III Logic of Collective Action Bias in group representation lies in the way incentives for collective action and barriers to organization varies across groups Mancur Olsen Organizers have to overcome standard collective action problems interest groups pursue collective goods that by definition all group members will enjoy regardless of their individual contribution Results Rational self interest leads to free riding Small groups are easier to organize because the transaction costs are lower and free rider problems less severe Incentives For many of these groups members benefits from sending checks to groups causes outweigh the costs provided by a simple cost benefit analysis o Moral incentives o Social benefits outweigh the economic costs These groups are organized by political entrepreneurs o Some groups benefit from a small groups of wealthy donors other benefit from large number of small donations Some groups overcome collective action problem by offering selective incentives benefits that can be denied to individuals who don t join and contribute Unions closed shops for example Insider Lobbying Influencing governmental policy These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute IV o Insider tactics Trying to talk to politicians as they come out of meetings or as they are walking to their next meeting trying to get in a couple sentences Or buying game tickets to get a 10 minute meeting with the politician o Outsider tactics Grassroots lobbying o Litigation used equally by both insiders and outsiders o Tactical choices which to use Depends on political conditions o Groups with few resources tend to rely more on outsider tactics Free Media Interest Group Politics Controversial Thriving Two main worries o Bias of interest group system dominated by wealthy corporations and affluent individuals o Private interests hijack public authority o However no more iron triangles
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