3.6 Political Cooperation: Interest Groups

Question 1

Please recall Olson’s theory and the concept of selective incentives from Section 1.3. Why was
it introduced?

Answer 1

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Question 2

Which selective incentives are offered by farmers unions?

Answer 2

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Question 3

Which type of selective incentives exists for group members in the case of associations with
compulsory membership? Please explain why associations with obligatory member-ship are often
based on an exchange between government agencies and organised social groups. Please mention
a few examples.

Answer 3

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Question 4

Why are associations with compulsory membership often characterised by a twofold strat-egy
(that means working for the members and working for the government at the same time)? Why is
a government often interested in the delivery of “half-finished political products” (initiated
discourses, consensus building, acceptance of compromises) and why do they often prefer to
delegate tasks of monitoring and control to associations instead of dealing directly with the
members of the group in questions by means of government agencies?

Answer 4

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Question 5

Under what conditions does the provision of public goods (according to Hansen) in particular
matter as regards the capacity of interest groups to organise?

Answer 5

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Question 6

Please explain the history behind the foundation of the German farmers union. Why came this
umbrella association for the German farmers unions into being?

Answer 6

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Question 7

When has the German farmers union been established and what was the main objective during
the phase of foundation? What is meant by the farmers union is an umbrella association?

Answer 7

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Question 8

What are the main resources for organised interest groups for exerting influence in a democracy?

Answer 8

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Question 9

What is log rolling? Please explain the phenomenon of the “log rolling paradox”.

Answer 9

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