Lulac: The Evolution of a Mexican American Political Organization

Marquez places this history within the larger theoretical framework of incentive theory to show how changing, and sometimes declining, membership rewards have influenced people's participation in LULAC and other interest groups over time. Ironically, as of 1988, LULAC could claim fewer than 5,000 dues-paying members, yet a dedicated and skillful leadership has secured sufficient government and corporate monies to make LULAC one of the most visible and active groups in Mexican American politics. Given the increasing number of interest groups and political action committees involved in national politics in the United States today, this case study of a political organization's evolution will be of interest to a wide audience in the political and social sciences, as well as to students of Mexican American and ethnic studies.