15-16 Flashcards
theory of participatory democracy
the belief that citizens impact policymaking through their involvement in civil society
pluralist theory
political power is distributed among many competing groups, which means that no one group can grow too powerful
elitist theory
a theory that the wealthy elite class has a disproportionate amount of economic and political power
collective action
political action that occurs when individuals contribute their energy, time, or money to a larger group goal
collective good (public good)
a public benefit that individuals can enjoy or profit from even if they do not help achieve it
selective benefits
benefits available only to those who join the group
economic interest groups
advocate on behalf of the financial interests of their members
public interest groups
act on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals
single issue groups
associations focusing on one specific area of public policy, often a moral issue about which they are unwilling to compromise
government interest groups
organizations acting on behalf of local, state, or foreign governments
revolving door
the movement of individuals between positions in govt. lobbying positions
grassroots lobbying
mobilizing interest groups members to pressure their representatives by contacting them directly through technology
agenda setting
the medias ability to highlight certain issues and bring them to the attention of the public
wire service
an organization that gathers and reports on news and then sells the stories to other outlets.
media consolidation
the concentration of ownership of the media into fewer corporations
