Unit 5 Chapter 15: Interest Groups and Social Movements

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interest groups

voluntary associations of people who come together with the goal of getting the policies that they favor enacted.

social movements

diffuse groups that educate the public and put pressure on policymakers in an effort to bring about societal change.

theory of participatory democracy

the belief that citizens impact policymaking through their involvement in civil society.

civil society

groups outside the government that advocate for policy.

pluralist theory

a theory that political power is distributed among many competing groups, which means that no single group can grow too powerful.

elitist theory

a theory that the wealthy elite class has a disproportionate amount of economic and political power.

policy agenda

the set of issues to which government officials, voters, and the public are paying attention.

collective action

political action that occurs when individuals contribute their energy, time, or money to a larger group goal.

collective good

also called a public good; a public benefit that individuals can enjoy or profit from, even if they do not help achieve it.

free riders

individuals who enjoy collective goods and benefit from the actions of an interest group without joining.

selective benefits

benefits available only to those who join the group.

economic interest groups

groups advocating on behalf of the financial interests of their members.

public interest groups

groups that act on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals.

single-issue groups

associations focusing on one specific area of public policy, often a moral issue about which they are unwilling to compromise.

government interest groups

organizations acting on behalf of local, state, or foreign governments. l

lobbying

interacting with government officials in order to advance a group’s public policy goals.

revolving door

the movement of individuals between positions in government and lobbying positions.

amicus curiae brief

a brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case in an attempt to persuade the Court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief.

iron triangle

the coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals.

issue network

the webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates.

grassroots lobbying

mobilizing interest group members to pressure their representatives by contacting them directly through phone calls, email, and social media.

protest

a public demonstration designed to call attention to the need for change.

civil disobedience

intentionally breaking a law to call attention to an injustice.