PrintA broad range of tactics can be employed to influence non-market issues. Many of these tactics are not mediated through formal public political institutions. Instead, stakeholders may seek to influence non-market issues through a variety of private engagements. The tactics characterizing these stakeholder engagements comprise the private political forum.
Private political action can influence stakeholders by changing the payoffs to non-market action. As discussed in lesson 1, market-based exchange often has non-market consequences. And affected stakeholders have incentives to influence the incidence of these non-market effects. Private political action can be used achieve relatively passive objectives, such as informing key stakeholders. And private political action can also be use for more active campaigns, such as boycotts. Various tactics can be employed to change stakeholder payoffs through private political action.
Letter writing campaigns can be used as a private political tactic to affect non-market issues. Letter writing can influence a non-market issue by providing information that can change stakeholders’ behavior. For example, advocacy groups and universities use letters to build support and solicit donations. And neighborhood groups write letters to encourage residents to monitor and report suspicious activity. Can you think of an energy issue that some stakeholder attempted to influence through private political letter writing?
Protesting or picketing can also be used to affect non-market issues. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution gives people the right to peaceably assemble:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Peaceful assembly for protest can lead to a change in stakeholder behavior by disrupting production and informing the broader public about an issue. For example, a public health advocacy group that believes a particular plastic is hazardous may organize a public demonstration to demand a change in bottled water packaging. Beverage company executives may elect to make costly supply and production process modifications if they believe consumers will be influenced by the protest. Can you provide an example of an energy issue that was affected through private political protest?
Media campaigns can also be used to exert private political influence. Similar to letter writing and protest campaigns, stakeholders can use various media channels to share information and motivate action. For example, a child advocacy group concerned with toy safety can encourage manufacturers to avoid lead-based paint, even if they do not propose legislative restrictions. The group can write editorials or appear on news programs to inform parents about products containing lead-based paint. Companies may unilaterally improve product safety hazards if they believe their sales are at risk.
Using today's technologies, people can even create and upload videos about their position to sites like YouTube. The one below is one such example.
Please Note: The video above serves only as an example of private influence. The views expressed in this video are not necessarily those of the course authors, instructor, or Penn State University.