KTQ 11: Political Parties and Interest Groups

Unit 3 Examination practice test #2

Political party

Organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices

Third party

Parties that organize to compete against the two major American political parties

Majority party

Party that holds the majority of legislative seats in a chamber of Congress

Minority party

Party that does not hold the majority of legislative seats in a chamber of Congress

Party system

Number of parties, the balance of power between them, and the difference in organizing and ideological principles between them

Electoral Realignment

Point in history when a new party supplants the ruling party, becoming the dominant party

Internal Mobilization

Parties form due to intra-party political conflicts that prompt officials and competing factions within to mobilize popular support

External Mobilization

Parties form due to a group of politicians outside government organizing popular support to win election

Incumbent

Candidate running for re-election to a position that they already hold

Nomination

Process by which political parties select their candidates for election to public office

Micro-targeting

Political campaigns tailor messages to individuals in small homogeneous groups based on their group interests to support a candidate or issue

Proportional Representation

Multiple-member-district system in which many competing political parties are awarded seats in rough proportion to the number of votes

Divided government

Condition in American government wherein the presidency is controlled by on party and one or more chambers of Congress are controlled by another party

Pluralism

Theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

Interest group

Individuals who organize to influence the government's programs and policies

Membership association

Organized group in which members actually play a substantial role, sitting on committees and engaging in group projects

Staff organizations

Type of membership group in which a professional staff conducts most of the group's activities

New Politics movement

Political movement that began in the 1960s and '70s, made up of professionals and intellectuals for whom the civil rights and antiwar movements were formative experiences; the New Politics movement strengthened public interest groups

Lobbying

Strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation or other public policy by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature

Institutional advertising

Announcement designed to create a positive image of an organization

Grassroots mobilization

Lobbying campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position

Economic groups

Businesses and corporations form trade associations to lobby government

Labor groups

Workers organized to bargain with employers and lobby government

Professional association

Sector experts form associations to advance knowledge in their disciplines and lobby government

Public interest groups

Groups that claim they serve the general good rather than only their own particular interest

Ideological groups

People with similar perspectives on issues, politics, or philosophy organize to lobby government

Public-sector groups

People from government and university sectors organize to lobby government

Collective goods

Benefits, sought by groups, that are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers

Free rider

Those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring them

Informational benefits

Special newsletters, periodicals, training programs, conferences, and other information provided to members of groups to entice others to join

Material benefits

Special goods, services, or money provided to members of groups to entice others to join

Solidary benefits

Selective benefits of group membership that emphasize friendship, networking, and consciousness-raising

Purposive benefits

Selective benefits of group membership that emphasize the purpose and accomplishments of the group