利益集团是一群支持某些观点并想要使国家向这个方向改革的人的集合，所有人或从属于某个利益集团或处于 
政治冷漠，而具体的利益集团倾向取决于多重因素，例如资质、
财富和
识字率等。不同人所属的利益集团取决于不同的标准，利益集团的具体观点也会随着当地宗教、社会运动和领导人的修正在不同国家间变化。值得一提的是，人群的不同个体可能支持任何一个利益集团，使得该群体支持所有的利益集团（尽管在支持人数上有差异）
基础利益集团
利益集团系统是维多利亚三的核心玩法之一。游戏中共有八种利益集团，以及一个额外的政治冷漠：
一国内利益集团的名字会随着各自的情况变化，如暹罗的
虔信者 被称作小乘佛教僧侣，日本的
军队被称作
地主 则被称为
意识形态
- 主条目：意识形态
利益集团包含一系列的意识形态，这些意识形态决定了他们所支持和反对施行的法律——利益集团通常偏爱那些契合他们信念和使他们受益的法律。
不同的利益集团有不同的意识形态（例如地主 明显比
工会更加保守），但是这些并不是被定死的。利益集团的意识形态也会随着游戏的进程和领导人个人的偏好与意识形态而变化。
此外，一些利益集团在特定国家内会有独特的意识形态，such as the Confucian Scholars interest group in 
中国 Qing China who support a Confucian ideology.
The default ideology setup for the interest groups are as follows:
| 利益集团 | 地主
|
虔信者
|
军队
|
 小市民
|
 知识分子
|
 实业家
|
 乡村民众
|
工会
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 基础意识形态 | ||||||||
 父权主义者
|
 爱国主义者
|
 废奴主义者
| ||||||
Note: Interest groups' ideologies may differ based on country or law. For example, landowners gain the 
Pro-Slavery ideology, if Slavery is allowed in the country.
领袖意识形态
每个利益集团都被一个
政治家领导，他们的个人主张影响着这个利益集团的立场和观点。这有时会使一个利益集团支持与其基础观点不同甚至完全相反的意识形态。
政治力量
人群中的个体会为他们所支持的利益集团或政治运动贡献政治力量，一个个体贡献的政治力量受到多个因素的影响而修正，其中的主要因素包括人群的财富和本国权利结构所赋予的政治地位（或投票权）。例如，在寡头制国家内，一个富裕的
贵族 的政治力量是一个贫穷的
劳工 的成百上千倍。
有些人群没有任何政治力量，这通常由于本国法律剥夺了他们的政治权力（例如人群的文化或宗教受到歧视，或妇女没有投票权）。他们“被排除于权利系统之外”，无法通过加入利益集团等正常方式要求改革，不得不依靠政治运动向政府施压。
吸引力
利益集团对人群存在一个吸引力权重，处于某个利益集团的人群可以为其提供政治力量。利益集团对人群的吸引取决于该人群的宗教、文化、是否受歧视、识字率、失业情况和职业，因此有的人不会进入特定的利益集团。利益集团对人群的吸引情况如下表：
| 军队
|
|
实业家
|
知识分子
|
地主
|
小市民
|
乡村民众
|
工会
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requirements | One of: Pop is not discriminated Pop's profession is Aristocrats, Officers, or Servicemen |
Pop follows the state's religion | Country must be centralized | Pop's 识字率 is over 25% Country must be centralized |
Pop has primary culture Pop is employed in Manufacturing, Service, Urban Facilities, or Government |
Pop is employed in Agriculture, Ranching, or Plantations | Pop is not employed in Agriculture, Ranching, or Plantations Country must be centralized | |
| Base Weight | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 50 | 50 |
| Other Weight Effects | +25 if not discriminated | −2 per 10% Literacy over 50% except  Clergymen
|
+10 if Literacy ≥ 50% +2 per 10% Literacy over 50%
|
Final weight multiplied by:
| ||||
| 职业 | ||||||||
 学者
|
|
+200 |
|
|||||
 贵族
|
+50 | +50 |
|
+50 | +200 |
|
|
|
 官僚
|
|
+100 |
|
|||||
 资本家
|
+200 | +50 |
|
|
|
| ||
 教士
|
+200 |
|
+50 | +100 | ||||
 职员
|
|
+100 |
|
+50 | ||||
 工程师
|
+50 |
|
||||||
 农民
|
|
+50 | +200 | |||||
 劳工
|
|
|
+50 | |||||
 技工
|
|
|
+100 | |||||
 军官
|
+200 |
|
+50 |
| ||||
 自给农
|
+50 |
|
|
|
+200 | |||
 军人
|
+100 |
|
|
|||||
 店主
|
+50 |
|
+200 |
| ||||
 奴隶
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
扶植和打压
Unless the country has enacted 
保障自由, it can 
bolster or 
suppress interest groups, increasing or decreasing that groups attraction by some amount, as determined by its Free Speech law.
势力
一个利益集团内所有人群的政治力量之为这个利益集团提供势力——这决定了利益集团在国内和政府中的clout – the amount of political weight it can assert on the country and the government. 利益集团的势力等于集团内政治力量与全国政治力量的百分比。例如，如果全国人群的政治力量为100k而
实业家 的政治力量为30k，他们的势力即为30%。
Clout determines the interest group's classification within their country – whether they are considered powerful, influential, or marginalized.
An interest group becomes marginalized if their clout drops below 4%, unless they are in government. They become influential again if it increases above 5%.
Similarly, a interest group becomes powerful if their clout rises above 20%, and influential again if it drops below 18%.
支持度
- 参见：政治运动
| Source | Approval |
|---|---|
| Law Stances | |
| Strongly Approves | +2 |
| Approves | +1 |
| Disapproves | −1 |
| Strongly Disapproves | −2 |
| Law Changes | |
| One step | ±5 |
| Two steps | ±10 |
| Three or more steps | ±20 |
| Pop political strength | |
| Each ~6% loyalist | +1 |
| Each ~6% radical | −1 |
Interest groups have a level of approval, which has two main sources: stances on 
laws, and pop 
loyalists and 
radicals. Other factors may affect approval as well, such as the player's choices in certain events. Total approval is capped between −20 and +20.
Each interest group and its leader's ideologies set its stance towards various laws from on a five-point scale, from 
Strongly Disapprove (−2) to 
Strongly Approve (+2). Approval from laws is the sum of all stances, capped at ±5.
In addition to the stance on enacted laws, proposed and recent law changes have an increased effect on an interest group's approval. A change which moves one step along their stance scale adds ±5, two steps adds ±10, and three or more steps adds ±20. This effect is added throughout the proposed change, and when a law is fully enacted, it remains and decays over five years. Cancelling the proposed law change immediately removes this effect. The effect of law changes on approval is not directly capped and can stack when changing several laws in a short time.
The percentage of pops supporting an interest group which are loyalists or radicals also affects approval, up to ±15 if all of the pops are loyalists or radicals. The actual approval effect is determined by the percentage of pop political strength, if more political strength comes from loyalist pops, it is positive; otherwise if more comes from radicals, it is negative. This scaled by the relative amount, for example if two-thirds (66%) is loyalist and one-third (33%) radicals, the approval effect is +5 as the loyalists provide +10 which is offset by the radicals' −5.
Government and military wages affect certain interest groups by ±1 for each step above or below normal wages. Government wages affect 
Intelligentsia and 
Petite Bourgeoisie approval, and military wages affect 
Armed Forces approval.
If a group is powerful and 
in opposition, their approval drops by −1.
Finally, there are many events, especially surrounding law changes, that add temporary approval modifiers to various interest groups.
效果
If an interest group's approval is −10 or less, they are Angry. They cannot be added to the government, but do not leave it if they're already in it. They also contribute their clout to the radicalization of any movement they support, possibly starting a revolution.
From −9 to −5, a group is Unhappy, activating their negative trait.
From −4 to +4, a group is Neutral, providing no special effect.
From +5 to +9, a group is Happy, activating their first positive trait. They also stop backing any movements.
At +10 or above, a group is Loyal, activating their second positive trait.
特质
Each group has three traits associated with it, one negative, and two positive. If group's approval is −5 or less, their negative trait is active. Approval of at least +5 activates their first positive trait, and +10 or more activates both of their positive traits.
Traits of a powerful group are twice as powerful, while marginalized groups cannot activate their traits at all.
| Interest group | Unhappy trait (approval ≤5) | Happy trait (approval ≥5) | Loyal trait (approval ≥10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 军队
|
|
|
|
| 虔信者
|
|
|
|
| 实业家
|
|
|
|
| 知识分子
|
社会批评 −10% Prestige |
|
|
| 地主
|
|
|
|
| 小市民
|
|
|
|
| 乡村民众
|
|
|
|
| 工会
|
|
|
|
执政和在野
Interest groups which are not 
marginalized are either 
in government or in opposition.
An interest group in government contributes its clout to the success chance of passing the laws they support, and to the stall chance of the laws they oppose. Proposing law changes usually requires an interest group in government which supports that law as well. Interest groups in opposition don't contribute their clout directly; however, unless they are happy or loyal, they may start a movement opposing a law change or demanding that a law be passed. By adding their clout to movement support, they can still affect the chance of success or stall.
合法性
- 主条目：合法性
Legitimacy represents how well a government can function based on popular support for the ruling interest groups and how well those groups can work together. Legitimacy is strongly affected by Governance Principles and Distribution of Power laws. Legitimacy is increased by including high clout interest groups and high vote parties in government and decreased by having too many interest groups or parties, or groups which are too ideologically opposed in government. More autocratic forms of government also gain legitimacy by including the ruler's preferred interest group in government.
改革政府
Government can be reformed at any time by adding or removing interest groups. Any group in opposition can be added freely, but removing a group in government radicalizes 25% of its members. In countries with voting, elections provide an opportunity to reform the government without angering interest groups' members – the first reform within six months of a finished election does not radicalize members of groups removed from government.
There is a quick reform option which presents the three highest legitimacy options available, but note that this does not include the current government nor does it take radicalization from removing interest groups into account.
政党
- 主条目：政党
Countries with voting and elections also have political parties, alliances of interest groups with similar concerns. Parties count as a single group for the purposes of legitimacy, and so allow more interest groups to be added to the government without penalty. However, in order to add or remove a party from government, all of its member interest groups must be added or removed together. There is no penalty for leaving an interest group out when it wants to join a party, except that it is impossible to reform government while a party is "split" this way, without unifying the party in government or in opposition.
Parties gain additional strength from votes of the last election. Pops do not vote for interest groups directly but rather for political parties, therefore interest groups that do not join a party miss out on a large amount of potential political strength.
政党吸引力
Interest groups update their party affiliations at the beginning of each election campaign and join the party they have the highest attraction towards, discounting parties that do not meet the requirements to exist or that the interest group is otherwise prohibited from joining. All Interest Groups have a base attraction of −5 towards all political parties and must have a final attraction of at least +1 in order to join a party. If an interest group does not have positive attraction towards any valid party, then it does not join any party or participate in the current election.
Below is a partial list of each interest group's attraction factors towards political parties as well as which other interest groups share those same factors. These tables only take typical core ideologies into account; leader ideologies in particular can greatly affect an interest group's party attraction. See Political party for a full list of all possible attraction factors.
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Conservative, +4 Fascist | Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Is Powerful | +10 Military | |
| Country has Peasant Levies | +6 Agrarian, +3 Anarchist | Rural Folk |
| Country does not have Per-Capita Taxation, Proportional Taxation or Graduated Taxation | +3 Communist, +3 Fascist, +3 Social Democrat | |
| Country has Guaranteed Liberties | +2 Conservative | Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Researched Law Enforcement and country has No Police | +3 Conservative, +3 Fascist, +3 Military | Petite Bourgeoisie, Landowners |
| Country does not have Per-Capita Taxation, Proportional Taxation or Graduated Taxation | +3 Military | Trade Unions |
| Country has Consumption-Based Taxation | +3 Social Democrat |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Conservative | Landowners |
| Is Powerful | +10 Religious | |
| Country has Public Schools | +2 Conservative | Industrialists |
| Country has Total Separation | +5 Conservative | |
| Country has Freedom of Conscience | +3 Conservative | |
| Country has Women's Suffrage | +3 Conservative, +3 Religious | Landowners |
| Country has Women in the Workplace | +2 Conservative | Landowners |
| Researched Law Enforcement, Country has Right of Assembly or Protected Speech | +3 Conservative | Landowners |
| Country does not have Monarchy or Theocracy | +3 Conservative | Landowners |
| Country has Theocracy | +5 Religious |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Free Trade | |
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Liberal | Intelligentsia |
| Is Powerful | +10 Free Trade | |
| Country has Serfdom | +10 Agrarian, +5 Anarchist, +5 Communist, +5 Liberal, +3 Radical, +5 Social Democrat | Intelligentsia, Rural Folk, Trade Unions |
| Country has Universal Suffrage | +5 Conservative | Landowners |
| Country has Graduated Taxation | +2 Conservative | Landowners |
| Country has Public Health Insurance | +2 Conservative | |
| Country has Public Schools | +2 Conservative | Devout |
| Country has Regulatory Bodies or Worker's Protections | +5 Conservative, +5 Free Trade | Landowners |
| Country has Wage Subsidies or Old Age Pension | +5 Conservative, +5 Free Trade | Landowners |
| Country does not have Child Labor Allowed | +3 Free Trade | |
| Country does not have Free Trade | +3 Free Trade | |
| Country does not have Oligarchy or Wealth Voting | +3 Free Trade | |
| Researched Currency Standards, country does not have Per-Capita Taxation or Consumption-Based Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country has Graduated Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Landowners, Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Researched Central Planning, country has Command Economy | +3 Free Trade | Landowners, Rural Folk |
| Researched Academia, country has No Schools or Religious Schools | +3 Free Trade | Intelligentsia |
| Country has No Schools or Religious Schools | +3 Liberal, +3 Social Democrat | Trade Unions |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Liberal, -15 Religious | |
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Liberal | Industrialists |
| Country primary culture has Scandinavian Heritage | +10 Agrarian | Rural Folk |
| Country has Local Police Force or Militarized Police Force | +6 Agrarian | Rural Folk |
| Country has Serfdom | +10 Agrarian, +5 Anarchist, +5 Communist, +5 Liberal, +3 Radical, +5 Social Democrat | Industrialists, Rural Folk, Trade Unions |
| Country has Debt Slavery | +10 Agrarian | |
| Country has Outlawed Dissent | +3 Anarchist, +3 Liberal, +6 Radical, +3 Social Democrat | Trade Unions |
| Country has State Religion | +3 Anarchist, +3 Communist, +3 Liberal | |
| Country has Slave Trade or Legacy Slavaery | +5 Anarchist, +5 Communist, +3 Radical | |
| Country has Monarchy or Theocracy | +3 Anarchist, +3 Communist, +3 Liberal, +10 Radical, +3 Social Democrat | Trade Unions |
| Country has Autocracy | +3 Free Trade | |
| Researched Academia, country has No Schools or Religious Schools | +3 Free Trade | Industrialists |
| Country has Hereditary Bureaucrats | +3 Liberal | Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country has Legal Guardianship | +3 Liberal | Trade Unions |
| Country has Ethnostate, National Supremacy or Racial Segregation | +3 Liberal | |
| Country has Local Police Force or Militarized Police Force | +3 Liberal | Rural Folk |
| Country does not have Universal Suffrage | +10 Radical | Trade Unions |
| Country has National Guard or Secret Police | +6 Radical | |
| Country has Legacy Slavery or Debt Slavery | +5 Social Democrat |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Conservative | Devout |
| Is not marginalized | -5 Religious | |
| Clout ≥ 15% | +5 Conservative | |
| Country has Free Trade | +6 Agrarian, +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | Rural Folk, Trade Unions |
| Country has Universal Suffrage | +5 Conservative | Industrialists |
| Country has Universal Suffrage | +3 Fascist | |
| Country has Graduated Taxation | +2 Conservative | Industrialists |
| Country has Graduated Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Industrialists, Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country has Women's Suffrage | +3 Conservative, +3 Religious | Devout |
| Country has Women in the Workplace | +2 Conservative | Devout |
| Researched Law Enforcement, Country has Right of Assembly or Protected Speech | +3 Conservative | Devout |
| Country does not have Monarchy or Theocracy | +3 Conservative | Devout |
| Country has Regulatory Bodies or Worker's Protections | +5 Conservative, +5 Free Trade | Industrialists |
| Country has Wage Subsidies or Old Age Pension | +5 Conservative, +5 Free Trade | Industrialists |
| Researched Law Enforcement, Country has No Police | +3 Conservative, +3 Fascist, +3 Military | Armed Forces, Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country does not have Per-Capita Taxation or Consumption-Based Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Rural Folk |
| Researched Central Planning, Country has Command Economy | +3 Free Trade | Industrialists, Rural Folk |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to ideology | −3 Communist, +5 Fascist | |
| Inherent to ideology | +5 Conservative, +4 Fascist | Armed Forces |
| Country has No Migration Controls | +6 Agrarian | Rural Folk, Trade Unions |
| Country has Land-Based Taxation | +6 Agrarian, +3 Anarchist, +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | Rural Folk |
| Country has Multiculturalism | +2 Conservative | |
| Country has Guaranteed Liberties | +2 Conservative | Armed Forces |
| Researched Law Enforcement, Country has No Police | +3 Conservative, +3 Fascist, +3 Military | Armed Forces |
| Country does not have Proportional Taxation or Per-Capita Taxation | +3 Fascist, +3 Military | |
| Researched Currency Standards, Country does not have Per-Capita Taxation or Consumption-Based Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Industrialists |
| Country has Graduated Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Industrialists, Landowners |
| Country has Hereditary Bureaucrats | +3 Liberal | Intelligentsia |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Is powerful | +10 Agrarian | |
| Country has primary culture with Scandinavian Heritage | +10 Agrarian | Intelligentsia |
| Country has No Migration Controls | +6 Agrarian | Trade Unions, Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country has No Migration Controls | +5 Fascist | |
| Country has Local Police Force or Militarized Police Force | +6 Agrarian, +3 Liberal | Intelligentsia |
| Country has Land-Based Taxation | +6 Agrarian, +3 Anarchist, +3 Social Democrat | Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country has Free Trade | +6 Agrarian, +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | Trade Unions, Landowners |
| Country has Lassiez-Faire | +6 Agrarian, +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | Trade Unions |
| Country has Peasant Levies | +6 Agrarian, +3 Anarchist, +3 Communist, +3 Fascist, +3 Military | Armed Forces |
| Country has Serfdom | +10 Agrarian, +5 Anarchist, +5 Communist, +5 Liberal, +3 Radical, +5 Social Democrat | Trade Unions, Intelligentsia, Industrialists |
| Country does not have Per-Capita Taxation or Consumption-Based Taxation | +3 Free Trade | Landowners |
| Country has Command Economy | +3 Free Trade | Landowners, Industrialists |
| Country has Debt Slavery | +5 Liberal | |
| Country has Serfdom or Debt Slavery | +3 Radical |
| Condition | Attraction | Shared With |
|---|---|---|
| Inherent to Trade Unions | +2 Communist, −2 Fascist | |
| Country has No Migration Controls | +6 Agrarian | Rural Folk, Petite Bourgeoisie |
| Country has Free Trade | +6 Agrarian, +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | Rural Folk, Landowners |
| Country has Laissez-Faire | +6 Agrarian, +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | Rural Folk |
| Country has Serfdom | +10 Agrarian, +5 Anarchist, +5 Communist, +5 Liberal, +3 Radical, +5 Social Democrat | Intelligentsia, Industrialists, Rural Folk |
| Country has Outlawed Dissent | +3 Anarchist, +3 Liberal, +6 Radical, +3 Social Democrat | Intelligentsia |
| Country has Monarchy or Theocracy | +3 Anarchist, +3 Communist, +3 Liberal, +10 Radical, +3 Social Democrat | Intelligentsia |
| Country does not have Graduated Taxation | +3 Communist, +3 Social Democrat | |
| Country has Serfdom | +10 Agrarian, +5 Anarchist, +5 Communist, +5 Liberal, +3 Radical, +5 Social Democrat | Intelligentsia, Industrialists, Rural Folk |
| Country has No Schools or Religious Schools | +3 Liberal, +3 Social Democrat | Industrialists |
| Country has Legal Guardianship | +3 Liberal | Intelligentsia |
| Country does not have Per-Capita Taxation, Proportional Taxation or Graduated Taxation | +3 Military | Armed Forces |
| Country does not have Universal Suffrage | +10 Radical | Intelligentsia |
