Question

In your own words, please define the term interest group.

How is an interest group different from a political party? What does it mean when an interest group endorses a political candidate?

Answer 1

NO INTEREST GROUP DO NOT ENDORSE ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATE

Interest groups are groups of people that share similar ideas on specific issues and that come together to influence public opinion. Yet, interest groups do not run for elections and do not necessarily support individual candidates but they do seek the abolition or the approval of specific laws by lobbying and campaigning. Interest groups can include:

• Corporations;
• Businesses;
• Labor unions;
• Social groups; and
• Student unions.

Political Parties vs Interest Groups : Comparison Table

Building on the differences highlighted in the previous section, we can identify few other aspects that can differentiate political parties from interest groups:

	Political Parties	Interest Groups
Political participation	Political parties are deeply involved in the electoral process and in the political sphere of the country. They run political campaigns and support one (or more) of their members in the run for office.	Interest groups are involved in the political sphere of the country but they do not directly participate in elections, although they can support one candidate or one political party that shares their point of view.
Independence	Political parties are often accused of prioritizing the interests of influent individuals or rich corporations that support their political campaigns with generous donations.	Interest groups try to raise money and awareness to promote their ideas and engage in lobbying activities, but are often more independent than political parties – although they can be employed by corporations or politicians to promote a specific (and manipulated) view.

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