Parties and Interest Groups

Flashcards about political parties and interest groups.

Political Party

A group of officials or would-be officials who are linked to a sizable group of citizens in an organization designed to ensure that its officials gain or retain power, influenced by ideology.

Purpose of Political Parties

To implement the party’s preferred policies - influenced by ideology. They function by Linking & Leading.

Why Parties?

Parties unite and organize people to create workable majority. They also provide “brand” benefits and give voters a short cut for voting.

Michel’s “Iron Law of Oligarchy”

Argues that political parties will always betray their original purpose due to the fact of leadership and a party hierarchy creates a group with a distinct set of values.

Republican Party Values

Low taxes, strong national defense, traditional religion and family life, conservative ideology.

Democratic Party Values

Protect safety net, liberal internationalism, more open to nontraditional religions and families, progressive ideology.

Interest Group

An organized group of citizens, whose central political goal is to ensure that the state follows certain policies, often working with political parties.

Lobbying

Speaking with and spending time with politicians to try to convince them of their side of an argument.

Sectoral Groups

Corporations or unions that are trying to influence policy decisions having to do with their industry.

Institutional Groups

A university or the army or another institution that would exist without an interest in politics, but benefit from Gov’t budgets.

Promotional Groups

Organized around a point of view, operating like third parties.

Free Rider Problem

When there are many “winners” from a policy, no one wants to be the one who has to face the expense of actually seeing it passed.

Opensecrets.org

Lists donors and contributors for politicians.

PLURALISM

Competitive political environment: a Level playing field for competing interest groups.

NEO-CORPORATISM

Government solicits and institutionalizes some voices, some interest groups with preferential treatment.