Abernathy/Waples, American Government: Stories of a Nation, Presidential Election Update 1E - Chapter 15

interest group

voluntary association of people who come together with the goal of getting the policies that they favor enacted.

social movement

large groups of citizens organizing for political change.

theory of participatory democracy

the belief that citizens impact policymaking through their involvement in civil society.

civil society group

an independent association outside the government's control.

pluralist theory

a theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process.

elitist theory

theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process.

policy agenda

the set of issues to which government officials, voters, and the public are paying attention.

collective action

political action that occurs when individuals contribute their energy, time, or money to a larger group goal.

collective good

also called a public good; a public benefit that individuals can enjoy or profit from even if they do not help achieve it.

free rider

individual who enjoys collective goods and benefits from the actions of an interest group without joining.

selective benefit

benefit available only to those who join the group.

economic interest group

a group advocating on behalf of the finan cial interests of members.

public interest group

group that acts on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals.

single-issue group

association focusing on one specific area of public policy, often a moral issue about which they are unwilling to compromise.

government interest group

organization acting on behalf of local, state, or foreign governments.

lobbying

interacting with government officials in order to advance a group's public policy goals.

revolving door

the movement of individuals between government and lobbying positions.

amicus curiae brief

a brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case in an attempt to persuade the court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief.

iron triangle

coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals.

issue network

webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates.

grassroots lobbying

mobilizing interest group members to pressure their representatives by contacting them directly through phone calls, email, and social media.

protest

a public demonstration designed to call attention to the need for change.

civil disobedience

the intentional refusal to obey a law to call attention to its injustice.