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What Are The Benefits Of Interest Groups

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Whether you know it or not, you are probably a part of an interest group. What is an interest group? An interest group can be defined as “a collection of people who share certain views on public matters and work to shape public policy to their benefit” (McClenaghan, 242). Their effect on democracy, whether good or bad, depends on who you talk to and their views on interest groups as a whole. These collections of people affect the government, and America in many different ways. Interest groups have many benefits to the average American citizen, minorities, businesses, corporate leaders, those in agriculture, and various other groups of people. One of the ways that interest groups are beneficial to a democracy, a government of the people, is that it brings people together over one common goal or issue that they believe needs accomplished or changed. Interest groups bring issues to the government, either nationally or locally, that may otherwise be looked over or not noticed. Additionally, data or information can be brought to these governing bodies that they would not have had the access to …show more content…

One of these downfalls to interest groups is that for a long time people have feared that big groups of people would result in the loss of a person’s individuality. Interest groups at times have been seen to only represent a small amount of people, because of a certain people making decisions for the group as a whole. Those interest groups who do have a lot of money, followers, and influence do overpower the majority of smaller groups. This make their cause more favorable to be seen and acted upon. Having big groups with a large amount of money also leads to human actions such as bribery, fraud, and other illegal actions that take place throughout some interest groups (McClenaghan, 246). With this being said, interest groups’ disadvantages to a people’s government are seen through many different

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