The solidary benefits of interest groups include:
Getting members to take on an active role in lobbying government officials. This involves convincing group members to call, email or write postcards to their legislators and/or sign petitions expressing support for specific policy stands.
Groups that are particularly effective at influencing policy are those that have established long-term relationships with key bureaucrats and lawmakers who influence specific areas of public policy. These links are typically based on a “symbiotic triangle” that joins an interest group, a specialized administrative agency and a parliamentary committee.
The most successful lobbies rely on these relationships for inside information, assistance in implementing government policies and political support for official decision makers. The best lobbies also build a strong reputation among their constituents as authoritative representatives of a broad social constituency.
Economic interests are more likely to form interest groups, be active, and spend more money and time on political issues than noneconomic interests such as citizens’ and “public interest” groups.
However, many social scientists have come to the view that economic interests do not necessarily represent the majority of interests in society. In fact, they can sometimes represent a small segment of the population, particularly in the United States, where business and economic interests are often the most powerful.