Democracy and its Definition
Democracy is a word that is familiar to most people but often misunderstood and misused especially when specific democratic groups pin labels upon themselves. There is a famous phrase on the definition of democracy by Abraham Lincoln where he defines it as a government of the people. In this case, it is a set of ideas and principles that have been modeled along historical lines based on people's lifestyles, beliefs, and practices. For this reason, there are some time-tested fundamentals that the society guards and applies every day. The definition by Lincoln is most applicable in that he views and defines democracy from the freedom institutionalization perspective.
Role of Interest Groups in Democracy
Interest groups play an essential role in the democratic system. The interest groups can be professional, business, or even public (May 12). In most cases, people who join the groups have a standard view on particular issues mainly relating to the government or the society. The interest represented are for the majority in an exemption of personal requirements. Based on Craig's argument, interest groups have two primary functions which include shaping policies and pressurizing government officials to work towards change. Their primary method of functionality is education where they provide information to elected officials and members of the society regarding the issues to be represented. Craig also notes that the groups are not political parties or action committees hence they do not distribute campaign funds to support elections.
Benefits and Criticisms of Interest Groups in American Democracy
In line with importance, Tie clone argues that these groups are beneficial in that they can be used to extend the American sphere. On the other hand, purple shirt clone finds them bad for American democracy. The reason given is that they tend to favor the wealthy people as compared to the poor. However, interest groups are relevant when it comes to shaping American democracy in that they give the society an avenue to have their needs aired to contribute to the policies that enhance lives.
Work cited
May, John D. "Defining democracy: A bid for coherence and consensus." Political Studies 26.1 (2014): 1-14.
Craig, “interest groups: Crash course government and politics.” (2015): Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOvBA7ollgc
