Chapter 10: Interest Groups

Interest Group

An organization of people with a shared policy goal, or goals, who enter the policy process at one or more points, in one or more policy arenas, to try to achieve their goals.

Pluralism

A theory of American democracy contending

that a few groups (primarily the wealthy) have most of the power to make government policy, regardless of the formal governmental organization.

Elitism

A theory of American democracy contending that a few groups (primarily the wealthy) have most of the power to make government policy, regardless of the formal governmental organization.

Hyperpluralism

A theory of American democracy arguing that a wide variety of interest groups have become empowered with the ability to veto policy change, thereby leading to regular gridlock in Washington.

Iron triangles

Also known as subgovernments, iron triangles consist of interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees or subcommittees that have a mutually dependent, mutually advantageous relationship; they dominate some areas of domestic policymaking.

Potential group

All the group who might be interest group members because they share some common interest.

Actual group

The people in the potential group who actually join.

Collective good

Something of value that cannot be withheld from a potential group member.

Free-rider problem

For an interest group, the fact that some or many potential group members will not join because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining.

Selective benefits

Goods that a group can restrict to those who actually join.

Single-issue groups

Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics.

Lobbying

In the words of Lester Milbrath, a “communication, by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his or her decision.”

Electioneering

Direct group involvement in the electoral process, for example, helping to fund campaigns, getting members to work for candidates, and forming political action committees.

Political action committees (PACs)

Groups that raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to candidates that the group supports. PACs must register with the FEC and report their donations and contributions to it. Individual contributions to a PAC are limited to $5,000 per year and a PAC may give up to $5,000 to a candidate for each election.

Union shop

A provision found in some collective bargaining agreements requiring that all employees of a unionized business join the union within a short period of being hired, usually 30 days, and remain members as a condition of employment.

Right-to-work laws

State laws that forbid the creation of union shops. These laws were specifically authorized by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947.

Public interest lobbies

Organizations that seek a collective good, which benefits the society as a whole.