chapter 7 vocab

Citizens

(noneconomic) groups Organized interests formed by individuals drawn together by opportunities to promote a cause in which they believe but that does not provide them significant individual economic
benefits

Iron triangle

The interaction of mutual interests among members of Congress, executive agencies, and organized interests during policy making

Rational choice

theory The idea that from

an economic perspective it is not rational for

people to participate in collective action when

the can secure the collective good without

participating

Purposive incentive

Motivation to join an

interest group based on the belief in the

group’s cause from an ideological or a moral

standpoint

Social capital

The many ways in which our

lives are improved in many ways by social

connections.

Super PACs

Political organizations that use

contributions from individuals, corporations,

and labor unions to spend unlimited sums

independent from the campaigns, yet

influencing the outcomes of elections.

Solidary incentives

The motivation to join

an interest group based on the companionship

and the satisfaction derived from socializing

with others that it offer

Umbrella organizations

Interest groups that

represent collective groups of industries or

corporations.

Interest group

An organization that

seeks to achieve goals by influencing

government decision making.

Public goods

Goods whose benefits

cannot be limited and that are available to all.

Climate control

The practice of using

public outreach to build favorable public

opinion of an organization

Issue network

The fluid web of connections

among those concerned about a policy and

those who create and administer the policy

Economic groups

Interest groups that are

organized primarily for economic reasons but

that engage in political activity in order to

seek favorable policies from government.

Lobbying

The process by which interest-

group members or lobbyists attempt to

influence public policy through contacts with

public officials

Economic incentive

Motivation to join an

interest group because the group works for

policies that will provide members with

material benefits

Outside lobbying

A form of lobbying in

which an interest group seeks to use public

pressure as a means of influencing officials.

Electioneering Working

to influence the

elections of candidates who support the

organization’s issues

Pluralist theory

A theory that holds that

policy making is a competition among diverse

interest groups that ensure the representation

of individual interests.

Elite theory

A theory that holds that a

group of wealthy, educated individuals wields

most political power.

Political action committee (PAC)

An

entity whose specific goal is to raise and

spend money to influence the outcome of

elections.

Free-rider problem

The phenomenon of

someone deriving benefit from others’

actions.

Private (individual) good

Benefits that a

group (most often an economic group) can

grant directly and exclusively to individual

members of the group

Inside lobbying

Direct communication

between organized interests and

policymakers, which is based on the assumed

value of close (“inside”) contacts with

policymakers.

Public employee unions

Labor

organizations comprising federal, state, and

municipal workers, including police officers

and teachers.