Interest Group Dynamics: The Power of Coalitions

Abstract

While institutions play a key in shaping and influencing the outcome of the policy process, many scholars assert that, ultimately, it is people—policymakers, activists, and interest groups—who determine the outcome of policy initiatives. Moving away from outmoded conceptions of iron triangles, neopluralist scholars examine the complex workings of policy subsystems—particularly the formation, alignment, and realignment of coalitions within and between those subsystems. Paul Sabatier observes that “one of the conclusions emerging from the policy literature is that understanding the policy process requires looking at an intergovernmental policy community or subsystem” as the basic unit of study.1 A policy subsystem is defined as “those actors from a variety of public and private organizations who are actively concerned with a policy problem or issue,” including “actors at various levels of government, as well as journalists, researchers, and policy analysts.”2 Research on policy subsystems has become the dominant paradigm of interest group scholars, and a burgeoning literature has developed around it. An anthology of classic works in public policy by Daniel McCool devotes an entire section to policy subsystems.3