We hear a lot about lobbying, but it’s still not clear what actually happens in the world of lobbying. So, is it good or is it bad? That’s not an easy question to answer, here are the good things and the bad things about it.
The Good
The democratic process is a long and complicated process, and the lobbying industry does play a part in it. Most organisations would have no representation in the political process if they weren’t able to use lobbyists to get their voice heard. This offers more balance in politics and makes sure that even the smallest organisation or group gets to have some say in the way things are run.
It’s not necessarily just about business interests either. Sometimes, the ideas that are put forward by businesses and lobbyists genuinely change the minds of the people who run the country. So, this means that lobbyists offer new perspectives from very different backgrounds to the people in politics. This widens the scope of governments because it brings in new faces and new voices that wouldn’t otherwise be there.
Most governments are quite slow and inefficient. So, if you wait around for them to get around to all the things that need attention, you’ll probably be waiting for the rest of your life. They simply have too much to deal with; that’s why you need someone on the inside who is putting your concerns on the agenda. If you don’t have a lobby firm doing this for you, no one will do it.
The Bad
Because lobbying firms deal with minority interests, it could be argued that the vast majority of people don’t see any benefit from the work they do. Some would argue that they can an indirect benefit, but this is questionable. Opponents would argue that they only benefit small minorities to the detriment of the majority of people. They would say the lobby groups should be subject to the same democracy of everyone else.
The problem is that these lobbying groups have very specific interests, and they don’t care about anything else. They have very narrow aims, and that means they often try to crowd out other opinions and shout louder about their own aims and interests. There’s no balance between the different interests. And many would say that if the ordinary man on the street doesn’t get the opportunity to talk to politicians about what he wants from the government, why should businesses?
There are also risks of crime taking place when bad lobbyists gain access to politicians. In the past, there have been attempts at bribery and fraud, and this seriously undermines the very idea of democracy. Even if most lobbyists don’t do this, the fact that a minority of them do it is enough to tarnish the industry in the eyes of some people. Some of the organisations that use lobbying tactics, such as the National Rifle Association, have pretty questionable aims too.
There are clearly big benefits and big drawbacks of the lobbying industry, but it seems to be the best option we currently have.
