Chapter 15 terms Flashcards
social capital
Cooperative relationships that facilitate the resolution of collective problems.
Civic virtue
The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good.
interest group
A collection of people or organizations that tries to influence public policy.
pluralist Theory
the theory that political power is distributed among a wide array of diverse and competing interest groups.
Disturbance theory
The theory that interest groups form as a result of changes in the political system.
Transactions theory
The theory that public policies are the result of narrowly defined exchanges or transactions among political actors.
Collective good
Something of value that cannot be withheld from a nonmember of a group, for example, a tax write-off for a better environment.
Public interest group
An organization that seeks a collective good that will not selectively and materially benefit group members.
economic interest group
A group with the priority of promoting the financial interests of its member.
Political Action committee (PAC)
Officially recognized fund-raising organizations that represent interest groups and are allowed by federal law to make contributions directly to candidates campaigns.
lobbyist
Interest group representative who seeks to influence legislation that will benefit his or her organization or client through political and/or financial persuasion.
Trade association
A group that represents a specific industry.
lobbying
The activities of a group or organization that seek to persuade political leaders to support the group’s position.
Patron
A person who finances a group or individual activity.
Free Rider Problem
Potential members fail to join a group because they can get the benefit or collective good, sought by the group without contributing the effort.
