Definition of the Iron Triangle

Orchid bees have an interesting relationship with orchids. These bees use the orchids' special
fragrances to make pheromones, which they then use to communicate with each other. But in the
process, orchid bees help the flowers flourish by pollinating the female parts of other orchids. In
nature, when two types of living creatures benefit each other in this way, they create a symbiotic
relationship.
The world of politics has its own version of this symbiotic relationship. It's called the iron triangle.
The iron triangle is a mutually beneficial, three-way relationship between Congress, government
bureaucrats, and special interest lobby groups. Each group does some action that will help the other
group, creating a lasting and unbreakable bond between the three.

Theory & Examples

To understand the iron triangle, you've got to put yourself in the shoes of each of the actors. First,
take, for example, a bureaucrat in the Department of Energy, a congressman on the Energy
Committee, and a lobbyist from a major oil company, like Exxon Mobil. The bureaucrat's goal is to
maintain his department's funding and thus his job. The congressman's goal is to gain re-election.
The lobbyist's goal is to represent his company and get legislative bills of interest to his company
passed. According to the iron triangle theory, all three will work together so that all three can achieve
their goals. It all comes to three relationships among the three groups.
First, there is the relationship between the member of Congress and the bureaucrat. The bureaucrat
knows that the funding for his job depends on how much money Congress gives the Department of
Energy. So, the bureaucrat has an incentive to make the legislators on the Energy Committee
happy. Thus, he might funnel Department of Energy money to a pork-barrel project of a major
committee member to make that member of Congress happy. (Pork-barrel projects generally provide
benefits to a specific locale, like the congressman's district). From the perspective of the
congressman, he knows that in exchange for the bureaucrat funneling money towards his pork-
barrel project, he must show legislative support for the bureaucrat's department. Thus, the
congressman scratches the bureaucrat's back, and the bureaucrat scratches the congressman's
back.
The second relationship is between the congressman and the lobbyist. Here, the congressman
realizes that he will need help in his re-election for the coming year. That is where he might pledge
support for programs that help companies like Exxon Mobil in exchange for a contribution to his re-
election fund from Exxon Mobil. Thus, the lobbyist scratches the congressman's back, and the
congressman scratches the lobbyist's back.