Chapter 7: Interest Groups Flashcards
climate control
the practice of using public outreach to build favorable public opinion of an organization
collective goods
outcomes shared by the general public; also called public goods
economic incentive
motivation to join an interest group because the group works for policies that will provide members with material benefits
electioneering
working to influence the election of candidates who support the organization’s issues
elite theory
a theory that holds that a group of wealthy, educated individuals wields most political power
free rider problem
the phenomenon of someone deriving benefit from others’ actions
interest group
an organization that seeks to achieve goals by influencing government decision making
- have a strong influence on gov
iron triangle
interest groups - $, electoral support → congress - enacts laws in favor of IG + $ → bureaucracy - enforces laws
issue network
the fluid web of connections among those concerned about a policy and those who create and administer the policy
lobby
to communicate directly with policymakers on an interest group’s behalf
pluralist theory
a theory that holds that policy making is a competition among diverse interest groups that ensure the representation of individual interests
political action committee (PAC)
an entity whose specific goals is to raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections
public employee unions
labor organizations comprising federal, state, and municipal workers, including police officers and teachers
purposive incentive
motivation to join an interest group based on the belief in the group’s cause from an ideological or a moral standpoint
rational choice theory
the idea that from an economic perspective it is not rational for people to participate in collective action when they can secure the collective good without participating
