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The Value of Participation: Exploring the Role of Public Consultations from the Vantage Point of Interest Groups
Author(s) -
Lundberg Erik,
Hysing Erik
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scandinavian political studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9477
pISSN - 0080-6757
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9477.12056
Subject(s) - politics , government (linguistics) , political science , democracy , interest group , public interest , public relations , order (exchange) , value (mathematics) , point (geometry) , process (computing) , public policy , public administration , special interest group , business , law , philosophy , linguistics , mathematics , finance , machine learning , computer science , geometry , operating system
Consulting interest groups is commonplace in the preparation of policies by democratic governments. It is often assumed that interest groups participate in consultations primarily for the purpose of influencing policy. This article goes beyond this simplified claim and empirically explores the role of consultations from the vantage point of interest groups. Drawing on the Swedish formalized referral process known as the ‘remiss procedure’ the article shows that interest groups not only participate in consultations in order to effectively change the policy proposal under consideration, but they also use the output of the process in other venues for policy influence, such as direct political contacts and opinion making, and to establish themselves, or maintain their status as legitimate actors in the eyes of the government. In addition, the remiss procedure appears to be intertwined with the groups’ own ‘internal life’, promoting the development and anchorage of policy positions within the organizations. These insights are important for further understanding the promises, as well as the perils, of public consultation.