Types of interest groups

Few would argue that one person could not make a difference in American politics. But there is power in numbers, and political institutions are more likely to respond to a collective rather than to an individual voice. An interest group is an organization whose members share common concerns and try to influence government policies affecting those concerns. Interest groups are also known as lobbies; lobbying is one of the ways in which interest groups shape legislation and bring the views of their constituents to the attention of decision-makers.