What is an interest group in political science?

In political science, an interest group is any formal association of individuals or organizations that attempts to influence public policy based on shared concerns. These groups aim to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes through lobbying, which involves pressuring policymakers. Interest groups exist at all levels of government and play an increasingly important role in international affairs. They vary widely in form and lobbying strategies across political systems. Interest groups can be categorized into economic interests, cause groups, public interests, private and public institutional interests, and non-associational groups and interests. They play a crucial role in democracies and authoritarian regimes by representing group interests, providing policymakers with essential information, and educating members on issues.

What are some common goals of interest groups?

Interest groups are associations that aim to influence public policy to benefit their members or causes. They advocate for policies benefiting specific groups, like government subsidies for farmers, or broader goals, such as improved air quality. Interest groups pursue these goals by lobbying policymakers, providing them with essential information, and educating their members on relevant issues. They also engage in grassroots campaigning, such as get-out-the-vote efforts, and provide financial support to political campaigns. Some groups also use tactics, like informal polls, to influence public opinion and make their causes appear more significant. These groups exist at all levels of government, from local to international, and are a vital part of both democratic and authoritarian political systems.

How do interest groups try to influence government decisions?

Interest groups influence government decisions through lobbying, which involves applying pressure on policymakers to achieve favorable outcomes. They use various tactics, including appearing before legislative committees and directly contacting public officials. Interest groups also launch public relations campaigns, supply research to legislative committees, and provide financial support to political candidates through political action committees (PACs). Furthermore, they engage in grassroots efforts to mobilize individuals to contact policymakers. These strategies aim to shape public opinion and persuade the government to align with the group's interests.

What is lobbying, and how is it related to interest groups?

Lobbying is any attempt by individuals or interest groups to influence government decisions, especially legislators' votes. Interest groups try to sway public policy to their benefit through lobbying. Interest groups use varied strategies and tactics, such as hiring lobbyists, using the press, and staging public demonstrations, to pressure policymakers. They may provide money and services to favored candidates and launch public-relations campaigns to influence public opinion. These groups may consist of individuals, organizations, or businesses. Lobbying is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but the federal government regulates it through mandatory registration and reporting of contributions and expenditures.

How do interest groups differ from political parties?

Interest groups and political parties both engage in the political process, but they have distinct roles and objectives. Political parties aim to acquire and exercise political power by running candidates in elections. They represent a broad range of issues and ideologies to appeal to a wide spectrum of voters. In contrast, interest groups advocate for specific interests or causes, seeking to influence public policy in their favor. They do not typically nominate candidates or seek to govern. Instead, they lobby policymakers, provide information, and mobilize support to promote their agendas.

Why are interest groups important in a democracy?

Interest groups are vital to democracies because they aggregate and represent individual interests, which a single person could not do alone. They provide policymakers with essential information for creating laws and educate members on issues, sometimes even encouraging them to enter politics. Though interest groups can be helpful, they can also promote narrow interests at the expense of society. For this reason, democracies regulate interest groups to ensure transparency and a level playing field. Regulations vary, but the goal is to balance the benefits of interest group participation with the need to protect the broader public interest.

interest group

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At a Glance

interest group summary

interest group

political science

Also known as: advocacy group, pressure group, special interest group(Show More)

Written by

Clive S. Thomas

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

What is an interest group in political science?
In political science, an interest group is any formal association of individuals or organizations that attempts to influence public policy based on shared concerns. These groups aim to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes through lobbying, which involves pressuring policymakers. Interest groups exist at all levels of government and play an increasingly important role in international affairs. They vary widely in form and lobbying strategies across political systems.

Interest groups can be categorized into economic interests, cause groups, public interests, private and public institutional interests, and non-associational groups and interests. They play a crucial role in democracies and authoritarian regimes by representing group interests, providing policymakers with essential information, and educating members on issues.
1 Britannica Source
1. interest group
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What are some common goals of interest groups?
Interest groups are associations that aim to influence public policy to benefit their members or causes. They advocate for policies benefiting specific groups, like government subsidies for farmers, or broader goals, such as improved air quality.

Interest groups pursue these goals by lobbying policymakers, providing them with essential information, and educating their members on relevant issues. They also engage in grassroots campaigning, such as get-out-the-vote efforts, and provide financial support to political campaigns. Some groups also use tactics, like informal polls, to influence public opinion and make their causes appear more significant.

These groups exist at all levels of government, from local to international, and are a vital part of both democratic and authoritarian political systems.
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2. public opinion: Interest groups
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How do interest groups try to influence government decisions?
Interest groups influence government decisions through lobbying, which involves applying pressure on policymakers to achieve favorable outcomes. They use various tactics, including appearing before legislative committees and directly contacting public officials. Interest groups also launch public relations campaigns, supply research to legislative committees, and provide financial support to political candidates through political action committees (PACs). Furthermore, they engage in grassroots efforts to mobilize individuals to contact policymakers. These strategies aim to shape public opinion and persuade the government to align with the group's interests.
5 Britannica Sources
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What is lobbying, and how is it related to interest groups?
Lobbying is any attempt by individuals or interest groups to influence government decisions, especially legislators' votes. Interest groups try to sway public policy to their benefit through lobbying.

Interest groups use varied strategies and tactics, such as hiring lobbyists, using the press, and staging public demonstrations, to pressure policymakers. They may provide money and services to favored candidates and launch public-relations campaigns to influence public opinion. These groups may consist of individuals, organizations, or businesses. Lobbying is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but the federal government regulates it through mandatory registration and reporting of contributions and expenditures.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do interest groups differ from political parties?
Interest groups and political parties both engage in the political process, but they have distinct roles and objectives. Political parties aim to acquire and exercise political power by running candidates in elections. They represent a broad range of issues and ideologies to appeal to a wide spectrum of voters. In contrast, interest groups advocate for specific interests or causes, seeking to influence public policy in their favor. They do not typically nominate candidates or seek to govern. Instead, they lobby policymakers, provide information, and mobilize support to promote their agendas.
6 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are interest groups important in a democracy?
Interest groups are vital to democracies because they aggregate and represent individual interests, which a single person could not do alone. They provide policymakers with essential information for creating laws and educate members on issues, sometimes even encouraging them to enter politics. Though interest groups can be helpful, they can also promote narrow interests at the expense of society. For this reason, democracies regulate interest groups to ensure transparency and a level playing field. Regulations vary, but the goal is to balance the benefits of interest group participation with the need to protect the broader public interest.
1 Britannica Source
1. interest group
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

interest group, any association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favour. All interest groups share a desire to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes. Their goal could be a policy that exclusively benefits group members or one segment of society (e.g., government subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader public purpose (e.g., improving air quality). They attempt to achieve their goals by lobbying—that is, by attempting to bring pressure to bear on policy makers to gain policy outcomes in their favour.

Interest groups are a natural outgrowth of the communities of interest that exist in all societies, from narrow groups such as the Japan Eraser Manufacturers Association to broad groups such as the American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) and to even broader organizations such as the military. Politics and interests are inseparable. Interests are a prevalent, permanent, and essential aspect of all political systems—democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian regimes alike. Furthermore, interest groups exist at all levels of government—national, state, provincial, and local—and increasingly they have occupied an important role in international affairs.

The common goals and sources of interest groups obscure, however, the fact that they vary widely in their form and lobbying strategies both within and across political systems. This article provides a broad overview that explains these differences and the role that interest groups play in society.

Definition

As defined above, an interest group is usually a formally organized association that seeks to influence public policy. This broad definition, increasingly used by scholars, contrasts with older, narrower ones that include only private associations that have a distinct, formal organization, such as Italy’s Confindustria (General Confederation of Industry), the United States’s National Education Association, and Guatemala’s Mutual Support Group (human rights organization). One problem with such a narrow definition is that many formally organized entities are not private. The most important lobbying forces in any society are the various entities of government: national, regional, and local government agencies and institutions such as the military. Another reason to opt for a broad definition is that in all societies there are many informal groups that are, in effect, interest groups but would not be covered by the narrower definition. For example, in all political systems there are influential groups of political and professional elites that may not be recognized as formal groups but are nonetheless crucial in informally influencing public policy.

Some interest groups consist of individuals such as ranchers or fruit growers who may form farm commodity organizations. In other instances, an interest group consists not of individuals but of organizations or businesses, such as the Histadrut (General Federation of Labour) in Israel and Amazon Watch, which includes environmental and indigenous organizations in several South American countries. These types of organizations are called peak associations, as they are, in effect, the major groups in their area of interest in a country.

The term interest rather than interest group is often used to denote broad or less-formalized political constituencies, such as the agricultural interest and the environmental interest—segments of society that may include many formal interest groups. Similarly, interest is often used when considering government entities working to influence other governments (e.g., a local government seeking to secure funding from the national government). In authoritarian and developing societies, where formal interest groups are restricted or not as well developed, interest is often used to designate broader groupings such as government elites and tribal leaders.

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Definition