In recent years, many observers have noted with concern the apparent decline of representative bodies such as political parties and parliaments. The erosion of these traditional forms of representing the public is viewed as contributing to a crisis of democracy. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of established means of public participation in the policy-development processes of western democracies.

Just as there has been anxiety over the decline of these bodies, there is also concern that the social and political changes in post-industrial societies have diminished the ability of traditional interest groups to adequately represent their members. The leaders of trade unions, farm groups, and business associations are purportedly losing touch with their members and no longer are able to accurately represent the economic and social interests or to fulfill the task of conveying interests to policy-makers that they once did. New groups focusing on single interests have drawn members away from the more traditional interest groups and undermined established political parties. These single-issue groups have assumed new political importance in several western democracies. The consequences that the emergence of these new types of groups will have for stable representative democracy are still uncertain. But some see cause for concern because they appear to lack the staying power of more established groups. Concentrating on a single issue leads to intense commitment to a cause and sometimes to unconventional political tactics in pursuit of their goals. The narrow concentration on a single cause may make them less inclined to compromise since they are less likely to be satisfied with partial victories and since they have fewer concerns on which to negotiate.