Interest Groups

how do interest groups differ from political parties?

interest groups are policy specialists

political parties are policy generalists

what does the group theory of politics offered by pluralist argue?

groups provide a key link between the people and the government

groups compete

no one group becomes too dominant

groups play by the rules of the game

groups weak in one resource may use another

define the pluralist theory.

competition amongst groups is good and creates even playing field - power is level

a pluralist interpretation of interest group politics would maintain that...

all legit groups can affect public policy by one political resource or another

define elite theory.

A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided among classes and that an upper

what do elite theorists argue?

even though there are numerous groups that proves nothing because most groups are extremely unequal in power

elitist views of interest groups emphasize what?

dominant groups win - reinforce power of a few dominant groups

what are subgovernments?

iron triangles, include interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees and power is exercised

what is another term for subgovernment?

iron triangles

define hyperpluralist.

government refuses to make choices between different things and try to appease everyone

discuss who makes up subgovernments.

congressional committees

interest group leaders

government agencies

the hyperpluralist complaint that interest groups politics creates subgovernments refers to what?

cooperative efforts of group leaders and agencies promotes special interests

the network comprised by the retail tobacco distributors of america, the department of agriculture, and the house tobacco subcommittee are an example of a what?

iron triangle / subgovernment

what is the free rider problem?

for a group, the problem of people not joining because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining

analyze olson's law of large groups.

the smaller the group, the more effective it will be

the larger, the less active the members

what would clean air, a tax-write off, and a raised minimum wage be examples of?

collective good

what advantages do small interest groups hold?

more at stake for members so more active and organized

define lobbying.

communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his/her own behalf directed towards a government decision-maker with the hope of influencing his or her decision

what are the complaints about the american interest group system?

elite theory - biased towards wealthy

how many interest groups are there today?

6,000 - 22,000

list some facts about interest groups.

tend to hang around centers of powers

specialized and trivial groups

more diverse

most have staff

have publications

what are the strategies employed by lobbyists?

electioneering

lobbying

going public - ads

litigation

according to the text what are some common functions of lobbyists?

provide info and ideas to congress

evaluate the process of lobbying.

works best on people already commitedd to lobbyists cause

directed towards activating and reinforcing supporters

depends on lobbyists ability to deploy info strategically

define electioneering.

to take part in the activities of an election campaign, important to interest groups to get their issue across

pac money goes overwhelmingly to whom?

incumbents

what are amicus curiaes?

written arguments submitted to a court in support of a cause one side of the case, usually from someone not a party in the case

how does an interest group "go public"?

advertise and use public relations to craft public image

what defines an economic interest group?

interested in wages, prices, and profits

what type of pac has increased the most?

business

what are public interest lobbies?

seek collective good, achievements help everyone

the conflict between environmental groups and energy producers illustrates what?

that group politics intensifies when two public interests clash