The Postelection Phase: Public Interest Groups

Abstract

Democratic politics does not end with elections of representatives, nor does it function solely through the vote of individuals. The writing of legislation and determining the operation of government starts after elections. The content of legislation requires the collection of information (Krehbiel, 1992). The passage of legislation requires the formation of majority coalitions. Interest groups and political parties play crucial roles in these postelection democratic processes. Both organizations gather information and promote coalition formation. In addition, the role of money, in the form of campaign contributions and funding for political parties and interest groups, is essential. Herein, I focus on the organization of interest groups. I leave the analysis of the origins and maintenance of political parties to later work.