Chapter 11- Interest groups

Question 1

Direct Mail

Answer 1

A common fundraising technique which involves sending mail requesting funds to likely donors.

Question 2

Free riders

Answer 2

Individuals who act purely on self interest. Persons who enjoy the benefits of an organization without doing anything to support it.

Question 3

Selective benefits

Answer 3

Benefits which only effect certain members of a society.

Question 4

Selective incentives

Answer 4

Any private benefit that induces someone to join or stay in an organization.

Question 5

Political entrepreneurs

Answer 5

Individuals who are willing to take on enormous personal costs that exceed the personal benefits they obtain from a desired change in public policy.

Question 6

Lobbying

Answer 6

Any action taken by an interest group to let the government know how the members of a group feel about proposed or existing regulations and legislation.

Question 7

Grassroots lobbying

Answer 7

A fairly broad category of activity which can be defined as any type of action that attempts to influences inside the beltway inhabitants by influencing the attitudes or behavior of outside the beltway inhabitants.

Question 8

Pluralism

Answer 8

A theory which perceives politics as the struggle between competing interest groups. Pluralism presupposes that “All the active and legitimate groups in the population can make themselves heard at some crucial stage in the process of decision”.

Question 9

Hyperpluralism

Answer 9

A condition in which the prevalence of group demands makes it impossible for a government to plan, deal with long-term problems, and make policies that further the public interest.

Question 10

Interest-group liberalism

Answer 10

Derogatory synonym for pluralism. Used by Theodore Lowi in his book The End of Liberalism.

Question 11

Gridlock

Answer 11

The inability of government to make or implement any decision. Considered to be a consequence of hyperpluralism.

Question 12

Interest groups

Answer 12

Private organizations formed to advance the shared interest of their members.

Question 13

Interest (political science)

Answer 13

Something that someone wants to achieve. A goal or desire.

Question 14

Iron triangle

Answer 14

The interaction between senate committees, interest groups, house committees, and executive agencies.

Question 15

Issue network

Answer 15

A conglomeration of decision makers, activists and experts in a particular policy area. A larger, more diverse, and more dynamic variant of the iron triangle.

Question 16

Political action committee

Answer 16

Legal mechanisms through which interest groups funnel contributions to candidates for public office. Often abbreviated to PACs.

Question 17

Trade associations

Answer 17

An organization with a narrow focus and small membership which fights for workers in a certain industry.

Question 18

Professional organizations

Answer 18

Organization of individuals employed, or self employed in a variety of skilled enterprises, such as medicine, law, accounting, or engineering.

Question 19

Public interest group

Answer 19

An interest group which seeks a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively or materially benefit the membership or activists of the organization.

Question 20

Right-to-work laws

Answer 20

Laws which prevent labor agreements from requiring all workers to join the union.

Question 21

Union density

Answer 21

The proportion of the non agricultural workforce belonging to unions. Peaked in the mid-1940s at about 36 percent. Has declined heavily since.

Question 22

Card check legislation

Answer 22

Card check legislation changes existing law so that unions can organize in a new business more easily, but also take away existing secret ballot votes.

Question 23

Single-issue groups

Answer 23

Organizations focused on one particular policy area. Rather than push for a broad policy agenda, these type of groups may be concerned about only a few legislative proposals or regulations.

Question 24

Tariff

Answer 24

A tax charged on products imported into a country.