Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Interest Groups – Question 2
Question for Xavier D and Cequite E. Describe the range of interest groups that operate in South Carolina and why each kind of group is active in state politics. Note in your answer the problem that some groups have with “free riders.” All of you need to understand what free riders are. We have already talked about them in reference to those who live in donut holes and adjacent to cities but do not pay for the cost of maintaining a city.
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There are many interest groups in South Carolina. The interest groups range from professional occupation groups to labor groups to public interest groups, such as religion. There are many more interest group in South Carolina. The target of these groups are to come together on an issue and resolve it with similiar policy goals and try and acheive those goals in a political process. The bigger the group the bigger the problem with free riders and the reason being is that it is harder to get the people out to support and advertise per-se. Most just want to stick around and be in the mist of things. I guess just to say they were there. I know I have had friends who have participated in candidates election and when I asked well what was your job, there was always some far off answer to what I asked.
Cequita D Edmond
Interest groups do cover a wide range, as Cequita noted. But the most important kind of group, not mentioned by Cequita, are business groups. They include corporations and retail businesses along with what is probably the most powerful group in the state, the SC Chamber of Commerce.
Unions are among the least powerful groups in the state.
Another type, ideological and single issue groups, has grown in recent years in numbers and range of things covered.
They are often different than economic groups (like business groups and professional groups) in that many of these groups supply what are called public goods, that is things that benefit all citizens whether they are members of the group or not. So, for example, if the Coastal Conservation League, one of the more important environmental groups in the state, is successful in reducing water pollution, everyone, whether they are a member or not, get the benefit of cleaner water. On the other hand hand, if the Chamber gets tax breaks for business expansion, the businesses get the benefit, not everyone in the state. Though I am sure the Chamber would argue that all benefit indirectly, and that is partially how they sell such ideas.
Interest group activity is quite different than individuals participating in political campaigns, unless that participation was stimulated by membership in some group!
Bob B
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