ch. 5 Flashcards
Define an Interest Group
An organization that seeks to influence public policy
What are some factors of Interest Groups?
- They do not function primarily to elect candidates under a party label
- They do not directly control the operations of the government
- Their activity is issue-specific, narrowly focused, and often crosses party lines
An ___, called a ___, represents the interest organization before the government
Influencer, lobbyist
Interest groups may take the form of ______, which individuals join voluntarily and pay dues
membership organizations
_____ may form to represent companies, corporate organizations, or governments. These organizations may employ in-house lobbyists or retain contract lobbyists
Interest groups
Define the Pluralist Theory
- Developed by James Madison, he believed interest groups will arise as societies and become more economically and socially complex
- People join together to push for their own interest and for governmental beliefs
- Ensure that policy will not benefit a few people but the majority of people
- As groups feel disadvantaged, it will begin to organize and compete for benefits
Define the Elite Theory
- A theory that a few powerful interest groups will consistently prevail in public policymaking, often at the expense of the majority
- Some are more powerful than others, eventually acquiring a monopoly on political power
- Are unable to be counterbalanced
What are 3 theories on why Interest Groups form?
- Disturbance Theory: groups form because their interests have been jostled by societal changes
- Exchange Theory: groups form because organizers (or entrepreneurs) heavily invest in a group and recruit members (or customers) by offering benefits or their participation
- Patron Theory: groups form and are maintained by patrons
What are 3 reasons why people join Interest Groups?
- People join to receive material benefits
- Ideological reasons
- Solidary Incentives
What are the types of Interest Groups in Texas?
- Economic Interest Groups: generally focused on economic interest (most interest groups), consist of unions
- Professional Organizations: more powerful because of the prestige members and their monetary resources, EX; lawyers, doctors, CEOs, celebrities, actors
- Public Interest Groups: push for policies benefiting the majority of the people
- Governmental Structures: interest groups that can work for themselves, and local governmental structures
- Ideological Interest Groups: ideological in nature, these groups push for very narrow specific policies
What are the sources of power for Interest Groups?
- Membership size
- Monetary resources
- Intensity of members conviction
- Prestige members
- Organizational structures
- Leadership
What are the 5 functions of Interest Groups?
- Interest aggregation
- Electioneering
- Use of litigation (lawsuit)
- Major and credible sources of information for political officeholders
- Lobbying
Define “coalition lobbying”
2+ interest groups pool their financial and contact resources and work together to attain a specific public policy goal
Define “grassroots lobbying”
Interest groups encourage the public to support their demands, which facilitate their attempt to influence policy making
Define “grasstop lobbying”
the attempt to mobilize prominent people rather than all of the large portion of society
