Voluntary Association in America

Alexis de Tocqueville used a simple analogy about municipal governments. He stated that they are “like great meeting houses with all the inhabitants as members. In them the people wield immense influence over their magistrates and often carry their desires into execution without intermediaries." This quote defines the basic ideals of self-government in a representative democracy. Since the war of independence, America has served as fertile ground for a country in which public participation can shape the government as much as political action.

As James Madison wrote in Federalist # 10, "Liberty is to faction as air is to fire", which supported the view of the founders that interest groups, such as political parties, would create an elitist model of government that would ignore the wishes of the people. Yet factions independent of the government have been the cornerstones for voluntary association in America. These groups played a vital role in the shaping of America as we know it, from the Federalist and Anti-Federalist coalitions, to the modern Pro-Choice and Pro-Life lobbies, there can be no qualms that the vested interests of the citizens will ultimately fall into the political arena. For example, in 1943, Chicago became the stage for the first sit-in, by a small interest group known as the Congress of Racial Equality.

This peaceful and organized assembly helped to spark a national debate about racial discrimination and the civil rights movement that would ultimately lead to desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education. Through the use of interest groups, many of society's inadequacies have been and will continue to be remedied. Additionally, it is evident that the founding fathers expected, perhaps even intended, such occurrences. Otherwise, the rights to assembly and petition would not have been included in the first amendment. As Justice Hugo Black said, "Criticism of government finds sanctuary in… the 1st amendment." Petitioning the state or national levels of government is an impetus for the federal government to realize public concerns, and the assembly of voluntary associations become the mechanism for implementing mass petitions.

Due to an inherent distrust of federal or state intrusion into public matters, citizens often take situations into their own hands. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the national government appropriated more money to FEMA and gave contracts to the defense department in order to control the recovery effort. However, The effects of their work on the ground were minimal when compared to that of charities and independent organizations, like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, which used money from personal donations and volunteer work to rebuild the lives of New Orleans residents. Some government interests, like welfare, are criticized almost to the point of extinction by conservative groups and state lobbies. This shows the inherent mistrust that Americans still have for their government; a mistrust that is rooted in the pilgrims’ break from the Church of England.

It is a man's natural right to alter or abolish a government that is deemed unrepresentative. The founders chose to protect both this right and the American Republic by laying down the Amendment process. Thus, Americans may alter their government when needed without creating anarchy. However, the strength of public opinion on controversial issues, like eminent domain and euthanasia, ensures the longevity of interest groups.

Since the days of Niccolò Machiavelli, classical republicanism has maintained that public action is the best resolve for governmental problems. The basic premise of a representative republic is to have the people elect a group that will respond to any problems that may arise in the nation. The elected officials are trusted to have the best interests of the public at heart and the people are trusted to remove those who do not serve their needs.

Thus far, the federalist model has allowed interest groups to interact with our government and work to determine public policy. As a result, the average citizen can delve deeper into his or her government rather than simply vote in elections.

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