Interest group and political party test Flashcards
A review of terms you have to know for the test!!!
Interest groups
Voluntary associations of people who came together with the goal of getting the policies they favor enacted
Elitist theory
a theory that the wealthy elite class has a disporportante amount of economic + political power
Lobbying
Lobbying interacting with the government officials in order to advance a groups policy agenda
Pluralist theory
a theory that politcal power is distrubuted amoung many groups competing, means that no group can become too powerful
Lobbylist
A person attempting to influence policy on behalf of a lobby
free rider
individuals who enjoy collective goods + benefit from the actions of an interest good without joining
selective benefits
benefit available only to those who join the group
Lawsuits/class action laws
Major political parties
Two party system
a system to which two political parties dominate politics, winning almost all elections.
Third parties
a minor political party in competition with the two major parties
Democrat
One of the two major political parties in America; it is very liberal and open to social programs.
Iron triangle
coordinated + mutally beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, congress and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals
Republican
One of the two major political parties in America; it is conservative and supports military spending.
Dealignment
Idea that many people are moving away from the two political parties and moving towards the idea of indifference
