The Carbon County Democratic Party Executive Board

In The Logic of Collective Action, Mancur Olson said people joined groups for material, solidary, or purposive reasons.  You might join a labor union because it provides you with higher wages or better benefits.  Those would be material reasons.  You might join a bowling league because your friends are bowling, and you want to be with them.  That would be for “solidary” reasons, basically another word for “friendship.” 

By “purposive” Olson meant what I would call “ideological” reasons.  You might join the Democratic Party, for example, because you like its stand on women’s rights and its support for increased taxation for the top 1%.

Olson believed that over time solidary reasons might not be sufficient, which is why almost every group provides its members with some material benefits.  For example, I belong to the Sierra Club because I am an environmentalist, but I get discounts on hiking boots, offers for eco-vacations, and a subscription to a slick and informative magazine.  

Olson also noted that people might join a group for its ideology, but remain in the group because of friendships formed with other members.  

I thought about Olson’s theories tonight at the Carbon County Democratic Executive Board.  I am in the Democratic Party for many reasons.  I believe the Republican Party’s stands on the economy, on immigrants, on gays, on the environment, on women, on the unemployed, on labor unions, on global warming, on voting rights--all are abysmal.  (I could add to the list, but you get the idea.)  I have been a member of the County Democratic  Party Executive Board for the past five months.  

I often disagree with my fellow board members, argue with them, and even get angry with them, but as I was sitting there tonight I realized--these people are my friends.  I like them.  I would lend them money.  I would have a beer with them.  

I have no idea if the Republican Party Executive Board is similar to ours.  From what I know of Republicans, I doubt it