Still the Age of Neo-Corporatism? The Expanding Core and Varying Degrees of Insiderness

The interaction between organized interests and bureaucrats is an important ingredient of contemporary political systems. While state - society relations evolve over time, some peculiar features of corporatist or pluralist interaction modes tend to persist, albeit in adapted forms. In earlier work, interest group scholars have distinguished groups who enjoy access to policymakers from those who are bound to stand on the sideline. Frequently, these insiders are considered to be equally connected to public authorities. Yet, their degree of ‘insiderness’ differs significantly. By unpacking the set of organized interests that have gained access, core insiders can be distinguished from groups that occupy a more peripheral position. This article aims to map and explain varying degrees of insiderness in the community of insider groups in Flanders. Our findings show that, although nowadays a more diverse set of organized interests gets involved in policymaking through consultative bodies, the inner circle has remained strongly corporatist.