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Issue 3, 2003 |
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Lobbying in Germany. Kai-Uwe Hellmann: Everything a Label? Marketing in Political Communication, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 17-23Recently everybody seems to claim to represent a "brand", including politicians and parties. But this trend is not totally new. Starting with the appearance of brands in the market of consumer goods in the late 19. century, we can state a constant widening of the applicability of the brand concept beyond the genuine economical sector. Nevertheless the question remains whether this widening of the brand zone as far as to the political system does make sense at all. What argues for the implementation of brand politics in the political communication? And which risks are connected with this development? Moreover we can ask for the reason of this approach. The article tries to shed some light on this subject. Thomas Leif/Rudolf Speth: Lobbying in Germany. Fifth Power - Influential and Uncontrolled, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 24-36The introduction presents the wide range of lobbying from legitimate representation of interest up to massive influence, which is problematic for democracy. Due to Europeanisation, Globalization, the move of government from Bonn to Berlin the lobbying business changed significantly. Also influential were societal trends as individualization and pluralization. Social science react to the developments slowly. Especially lobbying in Brussels got attention. The authors present ten crucial issues for discussion and resume results of a conference on lobbying. Thomas von Winter: From Corporatism To Lobbyism. State of the Art and Political Reality, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 37-44The Author presents an overview over literature on lobbying. In the past the corporatism approach dominated social sciences. However, the changing landscape of lobbying and actors involved in lobbying cannot be described by the corporatistic concept of few major actors. Effects of lobbying are unclear up to now and need sophisticated research. Ralf Fücks: Lobbyism and Democracy, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 45-47Lobbyism is part of normal democratic business but it has the potential to destroy the democratic structure. Transperancy is crucial to stabilize democracy. To delegate political decisions to extra-parlamentary commissions is highly problematic. Politicians should keep some distance to lobbyists and it is often a euphemism to talk of policy consultation. Karl Lauterbach: Lobbying versus Transparency and Patient-Participation for Public Health, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 48-52Reforms of the public health system are blocked by massive lobbying interests. The current system ist expensive while providing average service. But reform concepts have not been successful by now because decision takers have interests in the current system. For example, the catalogue of financed services is defined also by people who might profit from specific parts of it. The article presents some aspects to reform the health system. Reinhard Kopp: Political Consultancy by Industry, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 53-55Lobbying has changed in recent decades. Instead of furthering minority interests industry lobbying should be regarded as political consulting, says the representative of the Volkswagen company Reinhard Kopp. Lobbying is a professional service for politicians. Political consultance should also organize a stakeholder dialogue. Inge Maria Burgmer: At the Interface Between Business and Politics, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 56-59The processes of Europeanization and globalization have changed the interaction between economy and politics: the political importance of business' representatives and therefore their overall social responsibility has increased. In order to ensure their future role, economic associations should define a clear new direction of activity. Meanwhile lawyer firms, business consultants, agencies for Public Affairs and other consultants are increasingly working at the interface between politics and economy. It is necessary that clear rules of the game are respected: particularly transparency of the different interests as well as sanctioning of incorrect behavior, regardless of the kind of people involved. Hartmut Bäumer: Lobbying from the Distance?, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 60-63The complexity of modern societies, the globalization and resulting management problems have brought about an increased need for professional communicative consultancy aimed at political decision-makers. The Public Affairs-consultancy offers time and space for non-ideological dialogues as well as the delivery of information. This kind of public affairs consultancy can also take the form of lobbying in favor of clearly definable interests. It fulfills necessary functions in the process of democratic decision-making. Basic conditions for this, however, are transparency and economical as well as institutional neutrality of the consultants. Kornelius Kleinlein: The Work of Public Affairs-Bureaus in Berlin, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 64-67Lawyer consultancies offer political lobbying for clients in Berlin. They build up networks and present interests to decision takers. The article describes the way a lawyer consultancy works and points out the profits of such work. Ulla Mikota/Steffen Beitz: Managing the balance - the lobbying activities of VENRO in the field of development policy, FJ NSB 3/2003, p. 68-72The development NGOs, which have founded VENRO, are active for the elimination of poverty, the realization of human rights and the protection of the natural basis for life. The association tries to influence the policy of the state by means of lobbying: it is a balance act, which forces to continuously redefine the degree of proximity to the state, to reflect upon one's role and to make use of the chances of participation which are open to NGOs without becoming a victim of what could be called "participatory overkill". Hansjörg Elshorst: Transparency International (TI) - Successful without lobbying?, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 73-76The strategy of Transparency International in the global fight against corruption is based on the idea to make use of chances for change wherever they emerge, without being constrained by ideological premises or long-term action programs. The main principle of action is to refrain from anything, which could undermine the credibility of the organization. In the last years TI was able to put corruption on the worldwide policy agenda and to reach some concrete results at a national as well as at an international level. This was achieved by strategic alliances rather than lobbying. Hans-Joachim Schabedoth: Unions - Not an Interest Groups Like Others, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 77-79Unions represent labour interests in face of capital, but still they are not an lobbyist. The union lobbyist Hans-Joachim Schabedoth understands unions as part of civil society. They mobilize for issues publicly but also use means of professionel political communication to gain influence. Christian Lahusen: Politicizing European Policy. Lobbying in the EU, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 80-85By the deepening of European integration the European institutions have become increasingly a target of interest groups. On the European level they organize in networks and work on their own. They are confronted with a complex structure of institutions and commissions. This situation makes it difficult for movement organizations to work on the European level. Claus Giering: Lobbying the EU. Policy Consulting and Policy Influence, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 86-88The author explains the practice of lobbying offices on the European level. European Politicians have become much more professional during the last decades and also lobbying had to professionalize. Democratic transparency is hindered by the commercial interests of the consultancies. For democratic interest representation a plural field of interst organisations would be necessary. Martin Thunert: International Experience with Lobbying: USA, FJ NSB 3/2003, pp. 89-94The USA have a long tradition of lobbying and of the regulation of lobbying. The author discusses the American experience. He distinguishes different kinds of lobbying according to their relation to the political institutions and their public support. Additionally he presents regulations and discusses their effects. |