What are the advantages and disadvantages of the influences of interest groups?

Question

Do they have too much influence? Should there be more regulation of their activites?

Answer 1

Yes, absolutely.

Answer 2

Interest groups present a particular perspective that may not otherwise be readily apparent or available to the general public, a public that may otherwise be unaware or uncommitted. Their committed involvement in the pursuit of particular agenda focuses on, awakens and generates awareness and better understanding of particular issues, both on the part of the general public and the decision makers. Whatever conflict of opinion they create ultimately help to define and refine the issue by its perceived ramifications, encourage informed debate, sharpen understanding, and then shape or reshape a commitment to an action that, hopefully, redounds to the public good.

On the other hand, most interest groups often limit public appreciation of an issue to within the parochial confines of their vested interests, interests that may not necessarily be the same as that of the general public.

Without detriment to their right to free speech, but with a greater emphasis on their transparency, public accountabitliy and good corporate governance, I believe in the regulation of their activities.

Thus, any regulation of their activities should be focused on ensuring that their arguments be transparent, supported by facts and data that are equally available and accessible to the public; that their advocacy or lobby activities be transparent, if unrestricted; their leadership declared/publicly known and legally accountable for fraudulent or grossly misleading claims, as well as for unfair and dishonest practices; their real/ultimate beneficiary/ies publicly declared; their funding sources periodically reported to an appropriate government agency or body, for the specific purposes of making them publicly accountable in the same way that private businesses are subject to the strictures of good governance, as well as to inhibit the influence of private interests that may be physically beyond the country's legal jurisdiction.

Do they have too much influence? Interest groups can only have as much influence as an affected public chooses to be unaware, uninformed, indifferent, uncommitted and uninvolved.

Answer 3

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People complain about interests groups, unless it happens to be addressing a concern of theirs.