government chapter 9
A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is
All of the following answers are correct.
Economist Mancur Olson refers to what aspect of interest groups as "the size factor"?
Small groups are ordinarily more united on policy issues and often have more resources, enabling them to win out more often than large groups.
Which of the following statements would NOT be accepted by supporters of the pluralist view of interest groups?
The opinion of the majority should always prevail, in a policy dispute, over the opinion of a more intense and directly affected minority.
An interest group that focuses on policy benefits for senior citizens would be an example of
a single-issue group.
Which of the following is NOT a typical interest group function?
addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues
An informal grouping of officials, lobbyists, and policy specialists who come together temporarily around a policy problem is
an issue network.
The influence of interest groups through the courts occurs through
both initiating lawsuits and lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench.
Some groups pursue collective goods. A collective good is one that
cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it must be shared.
Outside lobbying does NOT include
developing and maintaining close contacts with policymakers.
The situation in which individuals are tempted not to contribute to a cause because they will get the benefits even if they do not participate is called the
free-rider problem
Super PACs have been criticized primarily for
giving too much influence to the wealthy.
In the dynamics of an iron triangle, what benefit do interest groups provide to friendly government agencies?
lobbying support for agency programs
The theory that society's interests are most effectively represented through group action is
pluralist theory.
Grassroots lobbying is based on the assumption that officials will respond to
pressure from constituents
Effective inside lobbying is based upon
providing useful and persuasive information to key officials.
"Agency capture" occurs when
regulatory agencies side with the industries they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public.
James Madison's solution to the problem of factions (special interests) has, in the modern policy process, actually contributed to the problem by
resulting in a fragmentation of authority among policymakers, thereby providing groups more opportunities to get their way.
A flaw in pluralism theory is the fact that
the interest group system is unrepresentative, because some interests are far better organized and more powerful than others.
A purposive incentive is defined as
the opportunity to contribute to a worthy goal or purpose.
Citizens' interest groups are distinguished from economic interest groups by the fact that
their members receive no direct economic benefit from attainment of the group's goals.