354 Chapter 10Chapter 10 || Interest GroupsInterest Groupsprovide public goods to workers by negotiating with management on behalf of
worker-members over pay and work requirements. Why don’t union members free
ride? Because in many cases they have to join the union: union shop laws require
them to pay union dues as a condition of their employment. These laws are critical to
unions; states with laws that make union membership optional typically have weak
unions—if any.
F i na l ly, material benefits are benefits given only to the members of an interest
group. These incentives are not public goods; an individual can receive a material
benefit only by joining the group. Thus, interest groups offer material benefits
in the hope of providing people with new reasons to participate. One of the most
interesting cases of material benefits provided by an interest group involves AAA.
Members with car trouble can call AAA at any time for emergency service. AAA
also provides its members with annotated maps and travel guides, a travel agency,
a car-buying service, discounts at hotels and restaurants, and other benefits. These
services mask the interest group role of AAA. For example, its Foundation for Traffic
Safety delivers research reports to legislators on topics ranging from lowering the
blood alcohol level threshold that legally defines drunk driving to increasing the
restrictions on driving by senior citizens.^23 It’s unlikely that many AAA members—
who join for the selective incentives—are aware of the organization’s lobbying
efforts. The incentives drive membership, which funds the organization’s
lobbying operation.material benefits
Benefits that are provided to
individuals for joining a group, such
as a coffee mug or a T-shirt, that are
distinct from the collective benefits
provided by the group.AAA (formerly the American
Automobile Association) is a well-
known provider of emergency road
service, yet few people are aware of its
role as an interest group that lobbies
for a wide range of policy changes and
builds awareness of key transportation
issues.“Why
Should
I Care?”
The logic of collective action says that organization is neither automatic nor easy.
Rather than complaining about how many lobbyists there are or how much they spend,
we should consider whether some groups in society are ignored because they are never
able to organize themselves and lobby for their concerns. Are you free riding off of any
groups’ efforts right now? What would it take to get you involved?Full_11_APT_64431_ch10_340-373.indd 354 16/11/18 10:26 AM