Interest Groups Flashcards
1
Q
What are interest groups?
A
Organized groups of individuals or organizations.
2
Q
What do interest groups do?
A
Make policy-related appeals to government.
3
Q
What are two examples of interest groups?
A
AARP - lobby of senior citizens
NRA - protecting gun rights and decreasing gun control
4
Q
How do Interest Groups enhance democracy?
A
- Education of key issues
- Lobby Congress and the executive
- Representative
- Mobilization
- Encourage participation/offer alternative form of participation in politics
- Monitor government programs and activities
5
Q
What is pluralism?
A
Theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government.
- groups compete to influence policy
- pluralism assumes all sides are represented in proportion to its voters.
