Lobbying is an integral part of modern political and economic life. What are its causes, features and consequences, we will discuss in this article.
The concept of lobbying
The term lobbying is a concept borrowed from the English language. It comes from the name of the entrance of the building - lobby, and in a general sense means "couloirs". It is where politicians come into contact with outsiders that one can plead for one's interests and find patrons. In the political system, lobbying is traditionally understood as a mechanism for influencing parliamentarians in order to adopt or reject the desired legislative act.
In the broadest sense, the well-known movement of the Chartists (workers advocating the adoption of the charter) in England can also be called lobbying, but with the only difference that the legitimate pressure on representative power from public opinion is not only normal, but also he althy. Unfortunately, various forms of lobbying flourish in the modern world, which cannot be called otherwise than corrupt and criminal. In addition, lobbying has significantly expanded its field of activity, including in the sphere of its interestsrepresentatives of both the executive and the judiciary.
Reason for lobbying
Promotion and protection of the interests of certain economic groups in parliament is due to the fact that the economy is becoming more dependent on government decisions, development trends and support for certain enterprises.
Lobbying is not a new phenomenon. It is known that it flourished in England several centuries ago. Today, in many countries, this is a legal activity, which is carried out by both single professionals and entire companies. They are approached by groups of entrepreneurs who receive advice and establish contacts with representatives of the executive and legislative branches.
Direct lobbying
Existing lobbying technologies can be divided into two large groups. The first includes direct ways to protect economic interests through direct, personal communication with politicians. These can be personal meetings or visits by a politician to firms, banks, exhibitions, production, organization of business meetings, symposiums, various conferences.
Direct lobbying is carried out through the transfer of certain information, which should persuade legislators to accept or reject the necessary legal acts, conduct examinations and scientific research. At the same time, the main task is to persuade politicians to their side with the help of serious arguments and get support from them in the form of certain state decisions andeven policy directions.
Indirect forms of lobbying
Unlike direct lobbying, indirect lobbying takes place indirectly, bypassing personal contacts with the right political figures. Its implementation requires no less professionalism and analysis of the political and economic situation. The first intermediary in this type of activity is, of course, the press. No wonder the media is called the fourth branch of power. The dissemination of information in the right way through the mass media primarily affects public opinion and forms public consciousness. So there is a multiple increase in pressure on politicians in order to get the expected result. This happens indirectly, without personal direct pressure or persuasion. Civilized lobbying is also a search for allies who are also interested in a certain outcome of the case and can help in representing common interests, creating public organizations, etc. In the West, lobbying is considered as a direct part of civil society, which ensures the protection of public interests before the state and concessions to the latter.
Shady lobbying
All of the above characterize the forms by which legal, state-sanctioned lobbying of interests is carried out. This is a reality that society has come to terms with and even learned to make money from it.
But there are methods based on the use of criminal methods. In the broadest sense, they are calledshadow. These include blackmail, threats, pressure and, of course, bribery. It can be concluded that civilized lobbying is built on the power of persuasion, while shadow lobbying is based on coercion or profit. It would be superfluous to remind that the latter is prosecuted by law. In real life, it's hard to see where the line is drawn between crime and legal lobbying. Thus, in some states of North America, lobbyists must officially register their political demands. This transparency makes it possible to control possible ways of exerting pressure on political opponents.
The Lockheed case
The Lockheed case is one of the most high-profile trials of recent times, showing how illegal lobbying works. What it is? This is a high-profile scandal related to the purchase by the Japanese government of the liners of the American company Lockheed. In terms of technical indicators and safety parameters, they were significantly inferior to European ones, although their cost was at the "European" level. Why did the Japanese make such a bad deal? In 1976, the facts of giving large bribes to government officials in Japan became known, while the amount of two million dollars was announced. The accusation of corruption was brought against the Prime Minister of the Land of the Rising Sun Tanako. The guilty verdict was handed down in 1983, but the defendant immediately appealed against it. In general, the process dragged on until the death of the suspect, that is, until the beginning of the 90s of the last century. The most interesting thing is that Tanako is still a long time after the accusationengaged in political activities. This incident has become an encyclopedic example of the use of shadow methods of lobbying in the highest echelons of power.
PR
One of the sections of the PR service is responsible not only for relations with society in a broad sense, but also for establishing relations with power structures of different levels and branches of government. Such activity of the so-called GR-managers is akin to lobbying. They organize meetings with government officials, provide a social image of the business projects of certain firms. And, of course, they participate in election campaigns, hatching far-reaching plans for long-term cooperation with a politician. Many large Russian companies have already begun to organize such departments in their firms since the mid-90s. In some European countries, the term "lobbyist" is not used at all due to the negative connotation of public perception. And yet there is a difference in the work of a PR and a lobbyist.
The difference in the activities of lobbyists and GR managers
A lobbyist in the modern world is a "free artist". In this he differs from a GR manager who works for a certain company and receives a salary. His earnings are much higher, as it has the form of a fee or percentage of transactions. The lobbyist can work with several clients at once, whom he chooses for himself, and the manager protects the interests of only his campaign. The most important difference between the profession of a lobbyist and related and similar ones is the political coloring of their activities. PR peopleperform primarily economic functions.
Some conclusions
Lobbying is a broad concept, which in the modern world is seen as a political mechanism, the task of which is to establish relations between certain business structures and government officials in order to promote and protect the interests of economic groups.
Lobbying is akin to many modern professions, such as government relations consultant or public relations manager. That is why there is confusion about the content of this term. The townsfolk understand it as defending the interests, something akin to the work of a lawyer. Some experts identify this type of activity as one of the technologies of public relations (PR) departments. However, most researchers agree on the specifics of lobbying as a separate activity, especially in a market economy and capitalism. Large capitals and firms are interested in establishing relations with politicians, as well as the latter with them.
Summing up: lobbying - what is it? Mutually beneficial, two-way movement towards each other. Lobbyists act only as intermediaries, those who help find common ground and establish contacts.
