Political actors: parties–interest groups–government

Abstract

This chapter discusses the changing roles of political organizations in contemporary democracies, particularly political parties but also interest groups. While providing platforms for citizens to engage in the political process, they try to exercise political influence during distinct phases of the political decision-making process: parties recruit candidates for political office, run elections, with the ultimate goal to implement policies when taking over government. Interest groups represent their members’ interests by lobbying political decision-makers, thereby aiming to influence public policy. This chapter argues that despite their very different functions in the political process, their relationship to society and to the state has undergone changes that are characterized by basic parallels linked to the growing individualization of Western societies