“Iron triangle"

“Iron triangle” is a term utilized by political researchers to explain the policy-making relationship between the legislature, the administration, and interest groups. The term iron triangle has been extensively used by political researchers outside the United States and is today an accepted term in the field. In the United States, administrative power is worked out in the Congress, and particularly in congressional committees and subcommittees.

By aligning itself with chosen constituencies, a company might be able to impact policy outcomes directly in these committees and subcommittees.

This is where an iron triangle may manifest itself. These are the effective interests groups that affect Congressional votes in their favour and can ensure the re-election of a member of Congress in return for supporting their programs. At another corner sit members of Congress who also seek to align themselves with a constituency for political and electoral assistance. These congressional members support legislation that advances the interest group’s agenda.

Occupying the third corner of the triangle are bureaucrats, who are typically pressed by the exact same powerful interest groups their company is designated to control.

The result is a three-way, stable alliance that is sometimes called a subgovernment due to the fact that of its resilience, impregnability, and power to determine policy. Consumers are typically left out in the cold by this plan. An iron triangle can lead to the passing of very narrow, pork-barrel policies that benefit a small sector of the population.

The interests of the firm’s constituency (the interest groups) are fulfilled, while the needs of customers (which might be the public) are passed over.

That public administration might lead to benefiting a little section of the general public in this method might be deemed problematic for the popular principle of democracy if the general welfare of all citizens is sacrificed for very specific interests. This is specifically so if the legislation passed overlooks or reverses the initial function for which the company was developed. On the other hand, lobbyists likewise assisted the consumer and the general public too.

Since the consumer and the general public are usually less educated, unorganized and lacks financial resources, the lobbyist and interest groups represent them in some ways. A public good is something from which everybody benefits. People cannot be excluded from enjoying the good just because they didn’t pay for it. If an interest group is successful in lobbying for laws that will improve the air quality, for example, everyone who breathes that air will benefit, whehter they paid for the lobbying effort or not. Despite the bad reputation earned by interest groups through the years there are several advantages to their existence.

Interest groups help bridge the gap between the citizens and the government and enable citizens to explain their views on policies to public officials. They also help raise public awareness and inspire action on various issues. They often provide public officials with specialized and detailed information that might be difficult to obtain otherwise. This information may be useful in making policy choices. Interest groups serve as a check on public officials to make sure that they are carrying out their duties and responsibilities.

Bibliography:

Edward I Sidlow, Beth Henschen. America at Odds, Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. ISBN 0534647596 Gordon Adams. The Iron Triangle: The Politics of Defense Contracting, Council on Economic Priorities, New York, 1981. ISBN: 0-87-871012-4 Jack H. Knott, Gary J. Miller; Reforming Bureaucracy; Prentice-Hall; ISBN 0-13-770090-3 (1st edition, 1987) Francis E. Rourke; Bureaucracy, Politics, and Public Policy; Harpercollins; ISBN 0-673-39475-1 (3rd edition, 1984) Iron Triangle Retrieved March 06, 2007, from “http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Iron_triangle”.