ВПЛИВ ЛОБІЗМУ НА ФОРМУВАННЯ ПОЛІТИЧНОЇ ЕЛІТИ США

Abstract

The article examines the impact of lobbying on the formation of the US political elite. The author conducts a historical and legal analysis of the formation of lobbying activity in the USA. The socio-economic factors contributing to the transformation of political relations in the society and the establishment of market elements in the political system are determined. An impact of lobbying on the formation of political elite was defined through the example of the US political system. The author discovers the emergence of a new type of elite in the United States, which uses their material position and lobbying to control political processes. Lobbying is now one of the most important components of modern Western politics. The role of lobbying and the associated influence of interest groups on state power is constantly increasing. Many researchers consider this process as the greatest threat to the legitimacy of democracy. In general, the dependence of the work of legislators and officials on the influence of interest groups (first of all, big business), which leads to activity of lobbyists, remains a very urgent problem for the scientific community and practitioners of political activity. It adds to the weakening of the influence of the traditional left-wing forces in the face of trade unions, which is typical for the modern political environment. Left-wing forces are more likely to expose the influence of lobbying on politics, rather than effectively resist this phenomenon. On the contrary, on the right side, politicians evaluate and perceive lobbying more positively. Under these conditions, lobbying forms new political elite in the socio-political sphere today. M. Adams, A. Bentley, B. Wool, J. Habermas, R. Dahl, M. Duverger, C. Andrew, D. Epert, A. Leipgart, M. Olson, R. Price, D. Truman, F. Schmitter, F. Stolz, J. Schumpeter and other researchers, dealt with the analysis of this problem. The article notes that lobbyism at the very beginning of its formation is seamlessly integrated into the US political system as an element of the market, and the danger of such a process was emphasized. J. Schumpeter pointed out that the main threat to capitalist market relations subject to crisis was not the economic side of the crisis such as low growth rates, inefficiency, high unemployment. All this could be overcome within the framework of the capitalist system. Other social institutions such as family, education system, etc., could be subject to crises.