X - Interest Groups Flashcards
Interest group
Organized group that seeks to pursue policy goals & influence public policy
Interest groups vs political parties
Do not run candidates for political office
Policy specialists not policy generalists
Rise of internet & social media
made it easier for interest groups to organize & lobby policy makers
Interest groups are abe to
Provide opportunities for participation
Influence how people relate to gov’t & policy makers
Pluralists
Believe that interest groups are a positive in that they link people & gov’ts
Group theory of politics
Various groups compete
No one interest dominates
Opposing interests would balance one another
Pluralists acknowledge that
Some groups are stronger than others
Not all interests get equal attention
Elitism
Interest groups are extremely unequal in their power & influence
Elitism argues that
Very few powerful groups that benefit the wealthy few at the expense of everyone else
There are only a few groups with significant power
Hyperpluralism
many groups competing is bad for governing
Too many interest groups creates
Gridlock as gov’t has too many interests to cater to
Increased spending, programs, and reulations
Iron triange
When an interest group forms a close relationship with the federal agency that oversees policy related to their interest & congressional committees who handles those policies
Iron triangles leads to
Control of regulators by the regulated
What makes an interest group successful?
Small groups
Intensity
Wealth & financial resources
Small groups
Easier to organize and convert potential group members into actual group members
Collective good
Benefits that can’t be denied to nonmembers of a group
