Role Of Interest Groups Research Articles

The Role of the Jewish Lobby Toward US Foreign Policy Making on the 2023 Israel-Palestine War (Case of AIPAC)

This paper examines the complex dynamics of the Israel-Palestine conflict, focusing on the role of interest groups, particularly the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in shaping US foreign policy. The conflict, rooted in historical and territorial disputes, has seen recurrent escalations, most recently triggered by Hamas attacks on Israel. The United States, a longstanding ally of Israel, provides substantial financial and military aid, with AIPAC exerting influence on policymakers to maintain and strengthen this relationship. Through qualitative research methods and literature studies, the paper analyzes the impact of AIPAC's lobbying efforts on US policy responses to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The article finds that the AIPAC lobby is deeply rooted in US policymaking structures, ranging from vice-president, and higher-echelon staff, to parliament members. This article also finds that since 2021, AIPAC has developed its policy to participate in political campaign contributions. Understanding AIPAC influences, the authors note that ethical considerations are crucial to maintaining a strong and representative democracy in the United States. This paper recommends the US to refocus its national interest because such overly foreign influence on national policymaking has the potential to harm America's long-term relationships and interests in the Middle East if the US can’t make the barrier for foreign interference toward its national interests.

Responding to whom? An experimental study of the dynamics of responsiveness to interest groups and the public

ABSTRACT While politicians are commonly depicted as having strong incentives to be responsive to both interest groups and citizens to govern and maintain office, the literature lacks designs that allow for assessing the causal effect of both types of actors on individual policy-makers. This study addresses this gap by formulating theoretical propositions regarding responsiveness of politicians to both public opinion and interest groups and testing them in a vignette experiment with responses from over 2000 Danish and Dutch local, regional and national elected representatives. Our study finds important differences in the dynamics of responsiveness to the two types of actors: Public opinion has a strong direct effect on the intended voting behaviour of politicians, whereas the effects of interest groups are weaker and mainly demonstrate the potential to influence the views of ideologically aligned legislators. Left-wing politicians, in particular, are responsive to civil society groups. These results have implications for understanding political representation and the role of interest groups across multiple levels of government. While the heightened sensitivity of politicians to some aligned groups creates a risk of policy-making biases, it is reassuring that interest groups have a weaker effect than public opinion and primarily hold potential to influence like-minded politicians.

Achieving Democracy through Interest Representation?

The article discusses a link between interest representation and its importance for democracy. After looking at the pluralist, corporatist and neo-pluralist approaches, the article focuses on the role of interest groups in associational, deliberative, and participatory democracies. I debate whether or not interest representation is a necessary element of democracy and whether the theoretical background can help us grasp it across all political systems. I address this question in the context of young, post-Communist democracies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). I argue that in the CEE countries when studying interest groups’ populations and organizational behaviour, we have to take into consideration a number of internal and external factors that impact perceptions and actual activity of interest groups when it comes to countries’ democratization.

Interest Groups in Civil Society Representativeness and Social Control of the SUAS – Brazil

This article intends to carry out a theoretical reflection on the possible role of interest groups in spaces of discussion and deliberation that make up the social control of the Sistema Único de Assistência Social (SUAS)[1]. To help us in this discussion, we rescued some regulations that deal with the practice of social control in SUAS, placing them in dialogue with bibliographic references that help identify action opportunities by interest groups based on these legal prerogatives. In conclusion, it is possible to suppose that interest groups act directly or indirectly in the social control of SUAS, defending their own causes that can compromise the interests of the broader Brazilian population or even the part of the civil society they claim to represent.
 
 [1] Social Assistence Unified System

The Role of Interest Groups in Improving the Quality of Public Policy (Case Study of Minimum Wage Policy in South Sulawesi Province)

The issue of the provincial minimum wage has always been confronted with the interests of who is excluded from a number of directly related interest groups. Trade union groups highlighted issues related to the minimum wage, namely around the issue of increasing nominal wages in relation to decent living conditions every year experiencing an increase in the inflation index. On the other hand, employer groups encourage the creation of business sustainability with minimal labor salary costs. These two issues always have conflicts in the process of determining the minimum wage policy of South Sulawesi Province regarding how interest groups contribute to the minimum wage policy. To answer these problems, argumentative qualitative research methods are used, focusing on the role of interest groups (Trade Union Groups and Employer Groups) in encouraging the formation of quality minimum wage policies, acceptable to all parties. The case of the process of determining the minimum wage policy for South Sulawesi Province in 2022 carried out in the Wage Council forum is the focus and locus of this research. The interactive single case analysis method was used to analyze the data of interest group debates in the Wage Board forum. The results showed that the ability between interest groups in the process of formulating provincial minimum wage policies, tends to differ in exerting pressure and influence on the minimum wage policy posture. Employers tend to use the power of lobbying and negotiation processes in wage board forums, while union groups tend to use the media of demonstrations and intimidation of worker group members. The ability to negotiate in the Wage Council forum has a real impact on the acceptance of policy proposals by the South Sulawesi provincial government authorities. The cohesiveness of interest groups is observed to have a positive effect on the sustainability of the struggle for policy ideas in policy forums, where trade union groups are still fragmented compared to employer groups. In the end, the decision on the provincial minimum wage policy was decided by considering the majority of views of the employer group with an increase of about 6.9% from the previous year's minimum wage.

Managers’ Attitudes on Sustainable Development Concept Application in Trading Companies

Trading companies face various challenges brought by the modern environment. For this reason, the trading company managers try to adapt their business to various requirements of the environment. This is supported by the fact that recently there has been a global change in the structure of retail, with evidence in the following examples: new sales formats have appeared, there are new categories of retail companies, sales facilities are modernized, soft information is emphasized, flexibility and innovation in business are encouraged, the role of interest groups is valued, unpredictability is accepted as the norm of functioning, the offer of trade mark products is expanded, etc. However, as economic, environmental and social problems gain more and more importance, another very important topic that captures the attention of business managers is sustainable development concept application. Doing business in accordance with the rules of sustainable development implies that trading companies base their work on ecological and moral principles of sustainable social communities. In accordance with the importance that sustainable development concept has today, the aim of the paper is based on the analysis of attitudes of employees in management positions in trading companies in the Republic of Serbia regarding the application of economic, ecological and social dimensions of sustainable development. The research results showed that the application of certain elements of sustainable development basic dimensions in their trading companies has been evaluated by the managers as good.

ПОЛІТИЧНИЙ ПРОЦЕС В УКРАЇНІ: ОСОБЛИВОСТІ, ПРОБЛЕМИ ТА ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ

The article focuses on the features of the political process in Ukraine. It is argued that the political process is a form of functioning of the political system of society in space and time, and also reflects the real interaction of subjects of public policy. It is demonstrated that the conceptual principles of the theory and methods of studying political processes are sufficiently represented in native and foreign scientific literature. However, certain problems of political process development in Ukraine remain rather uncovered in the academic literature, in particular, the rise of new factors, challenges, or a permanent change in the political situation. The purpose of the article is to analyze the features of the political process in Ukraine, identify its main problems and development prospects. It has been determined that the political process in Ukraine is not linear, any consensus between the key actors of the process regarding its goals or means is a priori impossible, there is a constant vacillation between democratic and authoritarian tendencies, and most political actions and decisions are behind the scenes or shaded. The author specifies that the key factors influencing the political process in Ukraine are the transformation of the institutional system, the role of interest groups and pressure, as well as the value system and behavioral code of the native political elite. It is proved that an institutional trap has formed in Ukraine – an inefficient self-sustaining stable institutional balance based on a combination of formal and informal political institutions in the political process, which none of the main political actors want to change. This is due to the fact that in the institutional trap, political elites can receive rent and remain in power. At the same time, some institutional changes that took place in Ukraine after 2014 contribute to the gradual exit of our country from the institutional trap. As a result, in the short term, it is necessary to focus on strengthening the powers and expanding the influence of representative bodies of state power, because it is through them that citizens become closer both to the process of public administration in general and to legislative work.

Policy feedback and institutional context in energy transitions

Interest in policy feedback processes in energy transitions has grown rapidly in recent years. However, while it has provided interesting accounts of the mechanisms of stability or change, the policy feedback framework begs the question of why policy feedback dynamics vary so widely across cases. Existing accounts have tended to focus on the influence of ideas on policy design and on the role of interest groups. By contrast, the role of background institutional context in shaping policy feedback processes has been understudied. In this article, I develop a framework for identifying relevant types of institution that potentially shape policy feedback across different analytical stages of the feedback cycle. This approach is illustrated through the example of support policies for solar PV, where it is argued that a relatively small set of political, political economy and social institutions are likely to be important. The argument is then applied through a comparison of the evolution of solar PV policy in the UK and Germany, and the role of institutional context in explaining divergent policy pathways.

Going Nuclear: Federalist Society Affiliated Judicial Nominees’ Prospects and a New Era of Confirmation Politics1

Significant changes to the federal judicial confirmation process have manifested over the past decade, including multiple procedural reforms in the United States Senate. We argue the “nuclear option,” the reduction of the vote-threshold required to proceed to a final confirmation vote on judicial nominees (i.e., to invoke cloture) from three-fifths to a simple majority, contributed to a renewed escalation of partisan confirmation battles on which the Federalist Society capitalized. Pundits and politicians alike show growing concern about the role of interest groups, especially those associated with the conservative legal movement, in judicial nominations. The intersection of these two sets of changes raises questions about the contemporary judicial nominations process. Utilizing a novel dataset of Federalist Society (FedSoc) affiliates drawn from event listings (1993–2020), we analyze the interactive role of FedSoc affiliation with Senate procedural changes to the judicial confirmation process. We find affiliation with the Federalist Society, after the initial nuclear option was implemented, increases the probability of a circuit court nominee’s confirmation by approximately 20%.

The Importance of Being Political: How to Understand the US Supreme Court's Approach to Affirmative Action in Education

This article examines the evolving jurisprudence of the US Supreme Court’s decisions on the constitutionality of affirmative action with specific focus on education. Traversing the Court’s affirmative action decisions from the 1970s to 2013, the author argues that the best, and possibly only, way to understand the evolution of this politically contentious doctrine is to focus on politics. This requires paying attention to political commitments of the justices, the role of interest groups, the voter alignments of the Democratic and Republican parties and white elite and public opinion. The author uses leading social science approaches to present three models of judicial decision-making: the attitudinal model, the strategic actor model, and the institutional/public opinion model. The article underlines the need to locate the Court within the political and cultural context in which it operates.

The Superiority of Pollution Taxes and Emission Standards: The Roles of Interest Groups and Transboundary Pollution

The Superiority of Pollution Taxes and Emission Standards: The Roles of Interest Groups and Transboundary Pollution

The Superiority of Pollution Taxes and Emission Standards: The Roles of Interest Groups and Transboundary Pollution

The Superiority of Pollution Taxes and Emission Standards: The Roles of Interest Groups and Transboundary Pollution

Business representation in an autocratic regime: Tariff policy and exchange committees in late Tsarist Russia

AbstractStudies on the role of interest groups in the formation of public policy are generally focused on those in democratic countries. However, the emerging literature on interest groups in autocratic regimes suggests that business in such states is actively involved in policy formation. On the basis of the first dataset on the 1891 tariff reform in the Russian Empire, this study carries out an empirical examination of the role of business in policymaking in one of the most autocratic states in history. Dominance analysis is used to estimate the contribution of participants to tariff reform. The results show that while the state had an overriding influence on tariff formation, the contribution of business representatives is noteworthy. The addition of business associations to the model explaining tariff changes leads to an increase in the explained variance of the model by about seven percentage points. Additional regression analysis confirms that the success of lobbying depended on the homogeneity of the proposals presented by regional business associations.

The belated implementation of a long-awaited health system in Cyprus and the role of interest groups

It is really a paradox that 60 years were required to establish a modern health system in Cyprus, despite the expressed positive attitude οf all political parties and most governments. This article investigates the planning and implementation of the National Health System (NHS) and its delay determinants, by employing qualitative research of published sources, audio material and 33 interviews with elite key informants. A major anti-reform alliance, consisting of private doctors, private hospitals and health insurance companies was identified, further supported by doctors of the “old” public system, whose benefits were threatened. Delay contributions additionally arose from media and patient groups, whilst the pharmaceutical sector imposed insignificant influence. Τhe prevailing political, economic and social environment, along with aspects of the proposed reform, fueled this anti-reform movement. However, climate in favour of the NHS implementation gradually developed, attributed to the power balance shift supportingthe Minister of Health and the government, mobilization of important actors/stakeholders, including the Federation of Patients' Organizations of Cyprus and the Media, and significant decrease in the influence of reform-resistant groups. The new dynamics created a supportive environment leading to the NHS launch on June 1st, 2019; thus Cyprus has ceased to be the last state of the European Union (EU) without a universal health coverage system. The process of introducing this new system in Cyprus is a prime example of resource and power redistribution amongst different interest groups and of the catalysts required to exit the orbit of an extremely “path-dependent” system, potentially inspiring future reformers.

Party competition on climate policy: The roles of interest groups, ideology and challenger parties in the UK and Ireland

This study shows how interest group–party relations, parties’ cross-cutting policy preferences, and competition with challenger parties shape the structure of issue competition on climate policy. It uses the ‘most similar’ cases of the UK and Ireland to show how differences in party systems influence the structure of issue competition. The study takes up the challenge of integrating salience and position in the conceptualisation of climate policy preferences. Empirically, it provides new evidence on factors influencing climate policy preferences and the party politics of climate change, focusing on interest groups, party ideology, and challenger parties. Further, it identifies similarities between the general literature on interest group influence on party preferences and the literature on interest groups in climate politics, and seeks to make connections between them.

Importance and Influence of Interest Groups in Welfare Policymaking Processes - Seen Through Citizens’ Lenses- the Case of North Macedonia

This paper aims to explore the influence of interest groups regarding social welfare policies implemented in North Macedonia and analyze how this influence is perceived through citizens’ lenses. Considering the importance of interest groups in democratic systems where principles of good governance should be implemented, it is of main importance to explore at what extent interest groups contribute or affect processes of policy-making. What are some interest groups that can be considered as influential and have the highest levels of membership referring to social policies? How do citizen-beneficiaries perceive current Macedonian welfare state and what is their perception regarding the role of interest groups in pushing policy processes? The purpose of the paper is to explore associations that aim to protect public interest and influence decision making as much as groups serving narrow interests in the field of social policy. There is increasing recognition of the emergence of new and pernicious interest groups, which have influence on policymaking. Methodologically, this research is designed based on a desk research, literature review and empirical research, conducted in the period of October 2019 – March 2020. The perceptions are being measured through questionnaires that have been conducted with random individuals (beneficiaries/not beneficiaries of social services) with the aim to have some insights on behalf of their perceptions regarding the welfare/social protection system and additionally have some evidence of their participation in interest groups as well. The results of this research show low levels of participation and trust of citizens in interest groups and little contentment regarding welfare policies and delivery of social services, in the country.

Формирование и становление современного механизма принятия внешнеполитических решений в США: роль групп интересов, 1940–1950

Формирование и становление современного механизма принятия внешнеполитических решений в США: роль групп интересов, 1940–1950

How Small Interest Groups Can Win the Outcome of Elections and Polls: Lessons for Countries with Modern and Developing Democracies

It might sound perfectly obvious that in a real democracy, the majority’s interests will always win against the interests of the minority. Unfortunately, in reality, this is not the case. Small interest groups can determine the outcome of elections and enact policies that favor their own interests, rather than those of the majority. This paper identifies how, contrary to the median-voter’s model, small interest groups can win, if information asymmetries exist. Additionally, if gains and losses asymmetries are present and opportunity costs are involved for the voter, the same phenomena can occur. This article focuses on the role of interest groups in elections in democratic countries, explaining how they can enact policies that are against the public’s will.

The interest group theory of financial development in China: Openness and the role of interest groups

AbstractThe interest group theory of financial development predicts that the incumbents' opposition to financial development will be weaker when an economy is open to both trade and capital flows. Based on regressions of financial development on trade and financial openness, existing studies only provide indirect tests of the hypothesis and deliver mixed findings. This paper proposes models for direct tests of interest group theory for China. Using Chinese cross‐province data, we define and measure interest groups based on the close tie between state‐owned enterprises and local government in China. The empirical results show that the opposition from interest groups to financial development cannot be weakened in provinces with high trade or financial openness alone. However, the opposition is indeed weakened in provinces with high levels of both trade and financial openness. These results provide robust support for interest group theory in accounting for cross‐province differences and time‐series variation in financial development in China.

Against a Bitter Pill: The Role of Interest Groups in Armed Forces Reform in Russia

From 2007 to 2012, Russian armed forces faced unprecedented changes that affected their structural, economic, social, and ideological elements. However, not all aims were fulfilled, and some changes were rolled back, despite the political and financial support from Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev for the defense minister Anatoly Serdyukov. Using the data from 11 interviews with former high-ranking military officers, scholars, and insider press workers, the research shows that the unsustainability of the reform was caused by the radicality of changes, the interest groups influence, and the technocratic policymaking in nondemocratic Russia. In addition, the research demonstrates the strategies the reformers used in order to overcome the resistance from mobilized interest groups. They had not succeeded, that ultimately led to the resignation of the defense minister, which stopped further radical changes in the contemporary Russian armed forces.