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Special Interest Groups

Definition

These are organizations made up of individuals who share common objectives and actively attempt to influence policymakers.

Analogy

Imagine you're part of a book club where everyone loves mystery novels. You all band together to convince your local library to stock more mystery books. That's what special interest groups do - they unite over shared interests and try to sway decision-makers in their favor.

Related terms

Lobbying: The act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.

Political Action Committees (PACs): These are organizations that pool campaign contributions from members and donate those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

Grassroots Movements: These are movements driven by the constituents of a community. It's based on people "on the ground" using collective action from the local level upward.