Chapter 11: Interest Groups

Interest groups

A group of people who share a common interest that want to influence public policy

Political Action Committee

A committee or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

Lobbyist

Someone who tries to influence legislation on behalf of an interest group

Free rider problem

Tendency of people to avoid contributing to public goods

Public good

Something that everyone shares whether or not they contribute to it

Incentive

Something that people receive which encourages them to join an interest group

Solidary incentive

Social incentives of joining interest groups

Material incentive

Money or monetary incentives of joining interest groups

Purposive incentive

A benefit that comes from serving a cause or principal

Ideological interest group

Political organizations that attract members by appealing to their principles

Public interest lobby

A political organization whose goals will benefit nonmembers

Social movement

A widely shared demand for change in some aspect of social order

Political cue

Signal telling the official what values are at stake in an issue

Ratings

Assessments of a representative voting record

Earmark

Provision of a law that provides direct benefits

Grassroots Lobbying

Using the public to contact government officials

linkage institution

A structure within a society that connects the people to the government or centralized authority

Amicus curiae brief

Brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision by arguing how the court should decide a case.

Litigation

The act or process of carrying out a lawsuit.

Revolving door

Employment cycle in which individuals who work for governmental agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern - very controversial