Interest Groups and Their Role in Society

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Student Name: Nigel Fahey Student No: s2805963 GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY - GOLD COAST Do Interest Groups Play A Positive or Negative Role In Society? Interest Groups And Their Role In Society 1004GIR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS RELATIONS DUE DATE: 02nd May, 2013 8pm Word Count: 1,481 (not including referencing) 2. Do Interest Groups Play A Positive or Negative Role In Society? The positive and negative role interest groups play in society is a highly debatable topic and is one that has continued for a many years. Interest Groups as defined by SprakNotes (2010) are “organization’s of people who share a common interest and work together to protect and promote that interest by influencing the government”. They also vary greatly in size, aims and tactics but generally have either Economic or Noneconomic goals. This aside they both share the same core ideas and reasons for their existence and these are to make sure the “government remains responsive to the communities in which they serve” (Acker, V. Et al 2013). In knowing this, the purpose of this essay is to critically analyze the affects Interest Groups have on the society in which they operate and brings to attention the main positive and negative roles caused through their application such as the theory of Pluralism and its flaws, Hyperpluralism, and other roles in which they benefit or disadvantage society in general. This essay will argue that there is no one side when looking at the effects of interest groups and that the society in which they operate will continually feel both the positive and negative results of their activities. Interest groups benefit society as a whole as the greater good is achieved through the increased opposition and the balancing effect created by the large number of conflicting opinions. This argument represents the theory of Pluralism, which states, “society is not simply

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