Test 3 Course Worksheets Flashcards
Positive and negative roles of factions
Madisonian theory: a good constitution encourages multitudes of interests so that so single interest can ever tyrannize the other (pluralism)
Negative: Fear of factions becoming too powerful
Interest groups vs. political parties
Interest groups are relatively small, specialized, and focus on specific area of policy
Three broad theories of how American democracy works say about the role of interest groups
Pluralism
Elitism
Hyperpluralism
Pluralism
Gov’t is open/accessible, groups of people with shared interests influence public policy, no single group dominates
Elitism
Group competition is irrelevant, Real power is held by few (elite networks), interest groups do have upper bias
Hyperpluralism
Public policy is fragmented and held hostage by organized interests, iron triangles, governability (policies for everyone)
Interest groups predominately organize around which kinds of interests?
Small groups with a concentrated interest
Why is it easier for small, intense interests to organize than it is for large, diffuse interests? Why is it than an interest with a large latent group such as “consumers” or “all americans” might have trouble organizing?
Large groups are hard to organize and cannot monitor free-riders. Also too large of a group = too much diversity
What are selective incentives/benefits and how do they help interest groups overcome the free-rider problem and actually get people to join and contribute?
Benefits that do not go to everyone but, are distributed selectively- only to those who contribute to the group enterprise. Benefits such as informational, material, solidarity, and purposive removes freeriding option for benefits and make participation more attractive
Four main activities interest groups pursue their goals in policy making process
Lobbying
Litigation
Mobilizing the Public
Electioneering
Lobbying
Attempt by an interest group to influence policy process through persuasion of gov. officials; source of info and expertise
Litigation
Interest groups use courts as many avenues to influence policy: 1. Bringing suit directly on behalf of group 2. filing companion brief as amicus curiae to an existing court case 3. financing suits brought by individuals
Mobilizing the Public
Interest groups launch media campaign to build popular support
Electioneering
Interest groups getting members out to vote, finance contributions to candidates, PACS: most common strategy
What are linkage institutions and what role do they play in American politics? What are some examples?
Formal decision making process + the people
Interest groups, political parties, the media
Connects people to the government
Main focus of a political party as a form of organization
attaining positions of public authority
interest aggregation
consists of groups brought together under the general umbrella of a party label. However, these can change over time as new issues arise or old tensions worsen, causing groups to leave or join
What is party identification?
An individual’s attachment to a particular party which might be based on issues, ideology, past experience, or upbringing
What are some interesting patterns and trends in how certain groups (women, A.A, Hispanics and upper class) tend to identify with one party rather than the other
Women and minorities tend to vote Democratic
Upper class- Republican
Ways that political parties contribute to democratic governance as linkage institutions
Selecting Candidates Running Campaigns Cues to Voters Articulating policies Coordinating policymaking
Selecting Candidates
more open since Progressives, Recruitment, Nomination/ endorsement
Running Campaigns
Party as an organization (national, state, local)
Cues to Voters
Political shorthand and informational shortcuts, electoral teams
Articulating policies
advocate policy alternatives, party platforms
Coordinating policymaking.influencing gov’t
Fragmentation of the US political system, Ties of party and coordination
