The Effects of Foreign and Ethnic Lobbies on US Foreign Policy: Comparison of the Greek, Armenian Lobbies with the Turkey& Turkish Lobbies (original) (raw)

ABSTRACT The Strategic Power of Ethnic and Foreign Lobbies in US Foreign Policy: Comparison of Greek and Armenian Lobbies with Turkish& Turkey Lobbies In liberal and participatory political systems, pressure and interest groups are one of the most important parts of democracy. Pressure groups organized for various purposes want to influence politics. These groups collaborate with lobbies to influence decision makers. For the purposes of pressure groups, lobbies try to influence decision-makers through direct, indirect or collective methods. In the research, the definitions, functioning and purposes of pressure groups and lobbies were examined. The place where lobbies are most effective and transparent is Washington. Pressure groups in many different fields in the USA, ethnic groups and foreign countries try to be effective in the decision-making processes of Capitol Hill and the White House through lobbies. Legal and historical process of lobbying in the US have been investigated in depth. Relations with the United States, the dominant power of the period, are very important for all countries. For this reason, countries try to take advantage of US Foreign Policy through various foreign and ethnic lobbying activities. Ethnic lobbies such as the Greek and Armenian Lobbies have benefited from their anti-Turkey lobbying activities in the past and present. The lobbying activities of Turks in the USA and Turkey have remained incomplete compared to rival lobbies at this point. In the research, Greek and Armenian Lobbies were examined in detail and compared with Turkish and Turkey Lobbies. It is very important to use the lobbying activities of the US-Turkey relations, where the crises have deepened day by day. Therefore, in the research, how to use lobbying, which is a strategic power, more effectively was analyzed. Key Words: Pressure Groups, Lobbying, Lobbying in the USA, Washington Lobbyists, Ethnic and Foreign Lobbies, Greek Lobby, Armenian Lobby, Turkish Lobby, Turkey Lobby