The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Political Science

Authors: Bogdanor
Summary: This entry, in slightly less than 1000 words, defines interest groups, explains some of the inegalitarian elements inherent in interest group politics, discusses interest group classification, and introduces interest group analysis.
The entry defines interest groups as organizations seeking to influence politics and policy without actually becoming part of the government itself. Some political theorists argue that interest groups are the fundamental building blocks of the political process while others see them as subverting democracy. Recently, the inegalitarian and undemocratic elements inherent in interest group politics have received the most attention. The focus has been particularly on the privileged position or insider status of certain groups, which corporatists explain as a direct result of extended state intervention in welfare and the economy.
The most common interest group classification scheme simply divides groups into those that defend a sectional cause--like farmers or employers--and those that promote a particular cause--like nuclear disarmament or gun control. Groups of the first type derive their identity from the function performed by their members in the social division of labor, and are peripherally interested in governmental policy concerns. Groups that promote particular causes exist in a pluralist world where they must compete for group members and influence over government policy.
The focus of interest group analysis has shifted significantly over the last twenty years. Earlier studies concentrated on the groups themselves while more recent efforts look at the environments in which these groups operate. This shift in emphasis has integrated interest group analysis more into the mainstream of political science. It is no longer simply a unique subfield of political analysis.