Iron Triangle

You may have seen the complicated flow chart demonstrating “How A Bill Becomes a Law” and wondered if that is really how the government works. Well, yes and no. Much of the business of politics happens behind the scenes. Iron Triangles are one way that the work of politics happens outside formal channels. But what exactly is the definition of an Iron Triangle and how does it work in government? What purpose do they serve?

Iron Triangle Definition

The definition of an Iron Triangle is three elements consisting of interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies working together to create policy about a specific issue. Iron Triangles are defined by mutually advantageous relationships. Iron Triangles are ideas, not actual buildings, places, or institutions.

Policymaking in American government is a complicated and slow process requiring the cooperation and compromise of many different institutions. The framers of the U.S. system of government intentionally created a system that would take time and would require people to work together. One way that policymaking is carried out is through the idea of the Iron Triangle.

Iron Triangles are not a formal part of the system of U.S. Government policymaking, but in reality, it is often how work gets done. Groups work together to create policy because they want to accomplish goals and preserve and expand their own influence and power. Iron Triangles are often referred to as subgovernments because of their power and ability to achieve policy.

Iron Triangle in Government

When bureaucratic agencies, members of congressional committees, and interest groups form relationships with one another, depend on one another, and are in frequent contact, they often form Iron Triangles in government. These triads have benefits for all three involved.

Congressional Committees

Because the work of Congress is so vast and complicated, it is broken down into committees. Committees focus on specific policy-making areas so that their attention is focused narrowly. Members of Congress desire to be assigned to committees related to their interests and constituents' needs. For example, a Congressperson representing a state that relies heavily on farming for its economy would want to be assigned to the agriculture committee to promote policy that benefits their home state.

Interest Groups

Interest groups consist of citizens who share a specific interest and work in various ways to achieve policy goals. They are often referred to as special interest groups. Interest groups are a linkage institution.

Some of the ways that interest groups work to achieve policy goals are through electioneering and fundraising, lobbying, litigating, and using the media to go public.

Bureaucratic Agencies

The Bureaucracy is often referred to as the unofficial 4th branch of government because of its enormous size and responsibility, but the bureaucracy is part of the executive branch. Bureaucratic agencies are responsible for implementing the laws that Congress makes. The bureaucracy is a hierarchical structure with the President at the top. Underneath the President are the 15 cabinet departments, which are further subdivided into agencies.

• About 4 million Americans comprise the bureaucracy

• The bureaucracy is more broadly representative of the American public than any other branch of government

• The Department of Defense, with about 1.3 million men and women in uniform, and about 733,000 civilians, is the largest employer in the bureaucracy.

• Fewer than 1 in 7 bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C.

• There are over 300,000 government buildings in the United States.

• There are over 560,000 postal workers employed by the United States Postal Service, a government corporation.

Bureaucratic Agencies, Interest Groups, and Congressional Committee members form the three corners of the Iron Triangle in government.

Fig. 1, Iron Triangle Diagram, Wikimedia Commons

Iron Triangle Example

One example of an Iron Triangle at work is the tobacco triangle.

Fig. 2, Seal of the Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia Commons

Bureaucratic agency: The Tobacco Division of the Department of Agriculture. They create regulations that pertain to tobacco production and businesses that affect interest groups and provide information to congressional committees.

Interest GrouFig. 3, Example of gift offered to politician by tobacco lobbyists, Wikimedia Commonsp: The Tobacco lobby includes both tobacco farmers and tobacco manufacturers.

They offer support, campaign financing, and information to Congressional Committees. Interest groups also provide the bureaucracy with specific information and support their budget requests.

Fig. 4, Seal of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry - Wikimedia Commons

Congressional Committee: Agriculture subcommittees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress makes laws that affect the tobacco industry and approves bureaucratic budget requests.

These links between the three points form the sides of the Iron Triangle.

Iron Triangle Purpose

The purpose of an Iron Triangle in government is for federal bureaucrats, special interest groups, and members of congressional committees to form an alliance to work together to influence and create policy. These three points of the triangle share a policy-making relationship that is beneficial to all.

A drawback of the Iron Triangle is that constituents’ needs may often come behind the needs of the the bureaucracy, interest groups, and congress as they pursue their own goals. Regulations that benefit a small minority or pork barrel legislation that only affects a narrow constituency are results of the Iron Triangle.

A benefit of the Iron Triangle is the cooperative benefit of sharing expertise between the three elements of the triangle.