Unit 4: Chapter 7: Special Interest Groups (SIGS) Flashcards
Linkage Institution
a structure within a society that connects the people to the government or centralized authority. These institutions include: elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
Interest groups
organization that seeks to achieve goals by influencing govt decision making
social capital
the many ways in which our lives are improved by social connections
pluralist theory
a theory that holds that policy making is a competition among diverse interest groups that ensure the rep of individual interests
elite theory
a theory that holds that a group of wealthy, educated individuals wields most political power
Hyper pluralist theory
a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.
political action committee (PAC)
entity whose specific goal is to raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections
Solidary incentives?
motivation to join an interest group based on the companionship and the satisfaction derived from socializing with others that it offers
Purposive incentives
motivation to join an interest group based on the belief in the group’s cause from an ideological or a moral standpoint
economic incentives
motivation to join an interest group because the group works for policies that will provide members with material benefits
What are some examples of interest groups?
- MADD (mothers against drunk drivers)
- NRA (interest in opposing anything anti-arms and defender of second amendment rights)
- NAACP (national association for the advancement of colored people)
What is the value of SIGS and the downside of them?
value:
*create sources of social capital
*channels civic participation
*a way for people to connect to their govt
*way people can influence the policy process
*resource for policy makers
Downside:
*its PAC’s are able to influence elections
*changes the nature of campaigns
*strengthen the incumbent’s advantages
*IG activism is more prominent in wealthy people
What are the key function?
- IG educate the public about policy issues
- IG provide average citizens w/an avenue of access to activism
- IG mobilize citizens and stimulate them to participate in civic and political affairs
- . IG perform electoral functions
- IG provide info and expertise to policy makers
- IG can protect the common good
- IG are an integral part of the govt system of checks and balances
List the motivations to join a SIGS
solidary incentives
purposive incentives
economic incentives
List the patterns of membership of SIGS
- wealthier people tend to be part of professional assoc., able to give more money
* teachers or tradespeople are likely to belong to labor unions - middle class people tend to be less involved in IG
- People with higher education are more likely to be involved in IG
umbrella organizations
interest groups that represent collective groups of industries or corps
Public employee unions
labor org comprising federal, state, and municipal workers, includ. police officers and teachers
collective goods
outcomes shared by the general public; also called public goods
free rider problem
the phenomenon of someone deriving benefit from others’ actions
rational choice theory
the idea that from an economic perspective it is not rational for people to participate in collective action when they can secure the collective good without participating
what factors that contribute to SIG success
- a large membership enhances an interest groups influence because policy makers are more likely to take note of the groups position
- the cohesion of a group or how strongly unified it is
- the IG’s intensity is also a factor
- members who know policy makers personally and have access to them mean greater influence for the group
- money
- strong leader
- opposition (opposing interest groups ruin their success)
What are the diff types of interest groups?
Economic interest groups: -corporate & business interests (ex. MPAA-motion picture assoc of america) -labor interests (ex. AFL-CIO) -agricultural interests (ex.AFBF) -trade and prof. interests Public and ideological interest groups -consumer interests -environmental interests -religious interests Foreign policy interests
Lobby
to communicate directly with policy makers on an interest groups’s behalf
issue network
the fluid web of connections among those concerned about a policy and those who create and administer the policy
iron triangle
the interaction of mutual interests among members of congress, executive agencies, and organized interests during policy making
climate control
the practice of using public outreach to build favorable public opinion of an organization
electioneering
working to influence the elections of candidates who support the organizations issues
litigation
the process of taking legal action.
what are the direct strategies used by SIGS to advance their interests?
- lobbying
- issue networks
- iron triangles
- litigation by interest groups
- providing info and expert testimony
what are the indirect strategies used by SIGS to advance their interests?
- public outreach - educating the public
* electioneering
Diplomacy
the conduct of international relations, particularly involving the negotiation of treaties and other agreements between nations
foreign service officers
the diplomatic and consular staff at U.S. embassies abroad
(NTR) Normal Trade Relations
the international trade principle holding that the least restrictive trade condition (best tariff rates) offered to any one national trading partner will be offered to every other nation in a trading network (also known as most favored nations)
Globalism
the interconnectedness between nations in contemporary times
al-Qaeda
a radical international islamic fundamentalist terrorist organization
(WMDs) Weapons of Mass Destruction
nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons
Regime change
the replacement of a country’s govt with another govt by facilitating the deposing of its leader or leading political party
Military Industrial Complex
a country’s military establishment and those industries producing arms or other military materials, regarded as a powerful vested interest.
list and explain the tools used to shape U.S. foreign policy
- Diplomacy
- Trade and Economic Policies
- Military
