Final answer:
A special interest group is a collection of organizations and/or individuals seeking to advance their point of view in the policymaking arena and to create a policy advantage for their cause. Interest groups aim to influence government decision-making and public policy without trying to be elected. These groups can pressure legislators to enact policies that may not benefit society as a whole.
Step-by-step explanation:
A special interest group is a collection of organizations and/or individuals seeking to advance their point of view in the policymaking arena and to create a policy advantage for their cause.
Interest groups, also known as advocacy groups or lobbying groups, aim to influence government decision-making and public policy without trying to be elected. These groups can be small in number but well-organized and focused on a specific issue. They can pressure legislators to enact policies that may not benefit society as a whole.
For example, imagine an environmental rule to reduce air pollution that will cost 10 large companies $8 million each, totaling $80 million. The social benefits of enacting this rule provide an average benefit of $10 for every person in the United States, totaling about $3 trillion. While the benefits outweigh the costs for society as a whole, the 10 companies are likely to lobby more fiercely to avoid the costs than the average person is to argue for the benefits.