Thanks to information, aggregation and interdependent politics, interest groups understand that in order to make themselves useful in manifold arrangements, with respect to politicians, parties and governments, they must provide information, expertise, donations, and develop political compromises with their members, to guarantee votes.
Two excellent examples are the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) in Great Britain and the American Farm Bureau Federation (FB) in the United States. Both of these organizations participate in the political environment, with a focus on rural business and living conditions. Both associations represent their clients and influence politics in different contexts, which leads to the purpose of this essay.
The overall aim is to build up a fundamental understanding of how different government systems are conceptualized, how interest groups operate at their access points abstractly from the inside, and to diagnose what actions the two interest groups already have in place which helps lead to their success. One should not just compare political institutions, but also assess the various roles and strategies of associations within presidential and parliamentary systems. In this course, different types of action, namely grassroots lobbying, buttonholing and general information exchange, are presented.
Accordingly, this paper begins by explaining the differences in necessary terms, followed by a differentiation method to distinguish parliamentary from presidential systems in a theoretical context. Then, Great Britain and the United States of America are analyzed with consideration to their specific interest groups in regards to their different stages of political participation. This represents the focus of this study paper. After that, two interest representation associations, namely NFU and FB are described with a special focus on their organization, competition, strategy and program. It is finished by a résumé.
As there is ongoing scientific research in regards to this topic, governments tend to develop anomalies over time in regards to their original governmental structure; this paper cannot guarantee topicality and completeness, however it will accurately analyze and connect specific practices with theory based on the predetermined limited scale of the essay.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definitional delineation of terms within a pluralistic network
3. Structure of presidential and parliamentary government systems
3.1. Similarities of the pluralistic understanding of democracy
3.2. Historical and systematical differentiation
4. Country analysis with consideration of different stages of political participation on decision maker
4.1. Great Britain
4.1.1. Prime Minister and cabinet
4.1.2. Parliament
4.1.3. Civil Service
4.1.4. Regional characteristics
4.1.5. Electoral system
4.1.6. Summary
4.2. United States of America
4.2.1. President and cabinet
4.2.2. Parliament and presidential influence sphere
4.2.3. Courts
4.2.4. Independent Agencies
4.2.5. Electoral system
4.2.6. Summary
5. Interest groups in the agricultural sector
5.1. National Farmers‘ Union
5.1.1. Organization and competition
5.1.2. Program and strategy
5.2. American Farm Bureau Federation
5.2.1. Organization and competition
5.2.2. Program and strategy
6. Résumé
Objectives & Research Scope
This paper explores the influence of presidential and parliamentary government systems on the behavior and strategies of interest groups. By comparing the National Farmers’ Union in Great Britain with the American Farm Bureau Federation in the United States, it aims to determine how distinct institutional frameworks shape lobbying tactics, access points, and the political effectiveness of organized agricultural interests.
- Theoretical differentiation of presidential and parliamentary government systems.
- Comparative analysis of political access points in Great Britain and the USA.
- Examination of "insider" versus "outsider" lobby strategies in agricultural interest groups.
- The impact of electoral cycles and committee structures on lobbying success.
- Analysis of organizational structure and policy goal setting within the NFU and the American Farm Bureau.
Book Excerpt
4.1.1. Prime Minister and cabinet
Under normal conditions, the Prime Minister is head of the UK government and party-leader. He is in certain areas superior to his/her American counterpart. He determines the composition of his cabinet, as the Prime Minister also represents the majority in this more or less two party system, dismisses ministers, determines the guidelines of policy, as well as the date of the dissolution of parliament and new elections (Crick 1964: 37-43; Steffani 1979: 78,80,81).
Also after the first coalition cabinet in May 2010, the Prime Minster has not lost fundamental power (Leach/Coxall/Robins 2011: 201-203). The ministers in the Prime Minister’s congressional faction are not just politically, but also through awarding posts, which are connected to a specific income, dependent/depending on the head of government (Sturm 2009: 115).
The cabinet is the country’s top executive committee. However, status within the cabinet is not equal and most Cabinets divide into a small circle of ministers who may expect to be frequently consulted by the Prime Minister. There are 21 cabinet members some 100 junior ministers of the Government who are not members of the Cabinet, including Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State; and unpaid Parliamentary Private Secretaries, who are equally may be invited to all Cabinet meetings as a matter of course. There are some ‘plum’ jobs like Chancellor of the Exchequer or Foreign Secretary. Other posts may become particularly important because of external circumstances or special government priorities. The junior ministers, working in cabinet committees either take decisions themselves or more often prepare matters for higher level decision. They cooperate with civil servants to underpin ministerial committees and prepare papers for the ministries’ consideration (Leach/Coxall/Robins 2011: 197-198; Burch/Holliday 1996: 44).
Individuals belonging to that group are excellent access points for groups with special interests. They act as the central coordinator of the preparation of the legislative process.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Introduces the research topic regarding interest groups and defines the aim to contrast political systems in the UK and USA.
2. Definitional delineation of terms within a pluralistic network: Explains the interconnected nature of pluralism and the role of interest groups as autonomous social actors.
3. Structure of presidential and parliamentary government systems: Defines the theoretical differences between the systems, focusing on power separation and governmental responsibility.
4. Country analysis with consideration of different stages of political participation on decision maker: Provides a detailed examination of how institutional structures in the UK and USA offer different access points for interest groups.
5. Interest groups in the agricultural sector: Analyzes the specific organizational structures and strategies of the NFU and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
6. Résumé: Summarizes findings on the distinct influence mechanisms, such as "iron triangles" vs. "policy networks," used by agricultural groups.
Keywords
Interest Groups, Lobbying, Parliamentary System, Presidential System, National Farmers’ Union, American Farm Bureau Federation, Political Participation, Policy Networks, Iron Triangle, Grassroots Lobbying, Buttonholing, Agricultural Policy, Government Structure, Decision-making, Comparative Politics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how different government systems—specifically the British parliamentary and the American presidential model—influence the behavior, strategy, and political effectiveness of agricultural interest groups.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The core themes include institutional access points, the comparison of lobby strategies (insider vs. outsider), the impact of electoral systems, and the organizational structure of specialized interest groups.
What is the main objective of this study?
The goal is to build a fundamental understanding of how interest groups operate within different government structures and to diagnose which specific actions lead to success in their respective political environments.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper employs a comparative political analysis, linking specific political theories and constitutional frameworks to the empirical activities of two major agricultural organizations.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the theoretical distinctions between government types, detailed country-specific analyses of institutional access, and case studies of the NFU and the American Farm Bureau.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as interest groups, lobbying, parliamentary and presidential systems, political participation, and comparative policy networks.
How does the British parliamentary system differ from the American system for lobbyists?
The British system encourages long-term "insider" policy networks focusing on civil service and committees, whereas the American system relies more on individual congressional access, "iron triangles," and frequent grassroots mobilization.
What makes the "Iron Triangle" a significant concept in the US context?
The "Iron Triangle" describes the three-sided relationship between legislators, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups, which is a structural reality in the US that determines how public policy is formed.
Why are electoral cycles important for interest group strategy?
Electoral cycles, especially in the US, dictate when interest groups pressure members of Congress. Short election terms for the House of Representatives force members to be more attentive to constituent interest groups to secure funding and reelection.
- Quote paper
- Dennis Maurer (Author), 2016, The influence of presidential and parliamentary government on interest groups’ behavior, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/338069
