Collective Action and Interest Groups: Costs, Incentives, and Politics - Prof. D. Thaler, Study notes of Local Government Studies

Download Collective Action and Interest Groups: Costs, Incentives, and Politics - Prof. D. Thaler and more Study notes Local Government Studies in PDF only on Docsity! Problem of Collective Action - Interest groups must overcome costs of collective action - transaction/coordination costs (time, effort) - Material costs (money and resources) - Can’t tax, so must motivate people to contribute voluntarily (Free Rider problem) - Public Interest Lobbies: fight for general principles that affect everyone (e.g. environment) - Willingness to contribute to groups espousing causes they care about - Moral incentives - Personal satisfaction of self-expression - Other groups circumvent collective action problem by offering selective incentives - Benefits that can be denied to individuals who do not join and contribute - Examples: AARP discounts, NRA discounts, subscriptions to magazines/journals Contemporary Interest Groups - Many sponsored by corporations, unions, government entities - Patrons: wealthy supporters who provide outside assistance - Public interest groups mainly financed by dues and small donations - Membership and budget fluctuate with circumstances Reasons for proliferation (growth) - Civil Rights, Vietnam spawned organizations for change (parties were split, so not as helpful) - Increases in affluence and education of middle class -- more to invest in causes - Technological advances made organizing easier Fragmentation/Specialization - Fragmentation of old interests - New organizations form when new issues pull old groups apart - Increasingly complex issues, fragmented policy force groups to specialize - Coalitions are tricky What Interest Groups Do - Try to survive - How they generate resources shapes activity - Must focus on issues that generate donations - Demonstrate to principals that they are being faithful agents - Influence Policy - Insider tactics: cultivate relationships with government officials - Donate money, conduct research, etc. - Outsider tactics: Influence and mobilize mass public opinion to pressure officials - Grassroots lobbying, demonstrations, etc. - Insider vs. outsider tactics - which to use? - Depends on circumstances and opportunities - Litigation: bring lawsuits and file briefs to challenge laws or regulations Electoral Politics and PACs - Electioneering/PACs