AP Gov midterm #2 (chapter 10) Flashcards
what is an interest group
a group of people that seeks to influence public policy on the basis of a particular common interest or concern. All interest groups share a desire to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes.
what is pluralism theory
suggests that interest groups overall have a positive effect on government,
and states that there are interest groups representing all areas of society and all sides of any given issue. This universal representation of all sides helps create balanced policy by giving
every group input on the formation of policy.
what is the elitism theory
suggests that interest groups may not provide universal representation on all issues. Even if groups exist on both sides, some groups have much more power and influence than others. These “elite” groups will rise to the top and dominate the policy process, producing policy that is unbalanced and strongly favoring the strongest interest groups. 79% of Americans share this view
what is hyperplurism
Hyperpluralism. A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government, seeking to please them all, is thereby weakened.
what is a potential group
A potential group is composed of all people who might be group members because they share some common interest.
what is an actual group
an actual group as the people in the potential group who actually join.
potential vs actual group
Note that both the potential and actual members share the same interests, but that actual members constitute a smaller group of people who actually participate in the organization.
what is the free rider problem with interest groups?
the free rider problem within interest groups is the fact that some or many potential group members will not join because they can benefit from the groups activities without joining
what are collective goods
a collective good is something of value, such as clean air, that cannot be withheld from anyone
what are selective benefits
selective benefits are goods that a group can restrict to those who actually join their interest group, for example AARP has built up a membership list of 38 million Americans over the age of 50 by offering them a variety of selective benefits, ranging from insurance to travel discounts.
what are political action committees (PACs)
PACs are groups that raise money from individuals and the distribute it in the form of contributions to candidates that the group supports. PACs must register with the FEC (federal election commission) and report their donations and contributions to it. individual contributions to a PAC are limited to $5,000 per year, and a PAC may give up to $5,000 to a candidate for each election, there are thousands of PACs
what are single issue groups
a single issue group can be defined as a group that has a narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and single-mindedly pursues its goal. Opponents of gun control and abortions re some of the many groups that exist today
why are single issue groups important
It is generally believed that single-issue parties are favored by voluntary voting systems, as they tend to attract very committed supporters who will always vote.
what is an iron triangle
The “Iron Triangle” The relationship between congress(especially Sub-Committees), Government agencies(Bureaucracy), and interest groups.
why are interest groups important to iron triangle
1) Gives electoral support in the form of PACs and donations to Congressional committee members
2) Delivers congressional support for the federal bureaucracy through lobbying Congress.
