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Political Science 100
Interest Groups
40
Political Studies
Undergraduate 1
10/12/2009

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Term
Basic promise of an interest group
Definition
"right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances" - first amendment
Term
interest group
Definition
a politically oriented organization of people who share common interests and make demands on others insociety with respect to those interests
Term
first basic requirement of interest group 
Definition
shared interest - NOT a common characteristic
Term
interest groups vs. parties
Definition
interest groups are private entities; parties are quasi public
Term
Smith v. Allwright 1944
Definition
Texas Democratic Party could not declare itself a private entity
Term
two objectives of interest groups
Definition

1. promote the group's interests

2. protect the group's interests

Term
factions
Definition
what James Madison called interest groups in Federalist #10 - fits our definition well
Term
three benefits of joining interest groups
Definition
1. material 2. solidary 3. purposive
Term
material benefits
Definition
tangible rewards that people gain through membership of an interest group
Term
solidary benefits
Definition
satisfactions gained through friendship and fraternity among people in interest groups
Term
purposive benefits
Definition
benefits derived from feeling good about contributing to a worthy cause
Term
public good  
Definition
benefit provided to everyone
Term
free rider
Definition
it is rational to be this because you can benefit from the godos without incurring any costs
Term
collective action
Definition
it's a paradox to the free rider because securing a public good requires this
Term
union shop/closed shop
Definition
when workers in certain states are required to join the union
Term
open shop
Definition
workers are not required to join the union, free riders, less effective in getting good wages, benefits, etc.
Term
selective benefits
Definition
most common approach to entice people to join an organization - material benefits that are only available to members
Term
pluralist explanation
Definition
interest groups are a natural extension of a democratic system that guarantees freedom of expression and association - David Truman
Term
by-product theory
Definition
group leaders overcome the free rider problem by either offering selective benefits or coercive incentives - Mancur Olson
Term
exchange theory
Definition
the formation if IGs is a rational quid pro quo between supplier and consumer - Robert Salisbury
Term
niche theory
Definition
applied biological perspectives, a political environment has a certain carrying capacity to support the interest groups that compete for its resources - Gray and Lowery
Term
60s-80s
Definition
explosion of interest groups
Term
business groups in Washington lobbying community
Definition
59% of overall lobbyists
Term
most common type of group influence
Definition
happens on small, noncontroversial issues where only one perspective is presented
Term
single issue groups
Definition
tend to take extreme, uncompromising positions on a single issue
Term
brookings institute and American Enterprise
Definition
think tanks [partisan]
Term
political resources
Definition
tools interest groups have at their disposal to influence the political process
Term
4 political resources
Definition
money, membership, leadership and expertise
Term
lobbying
Definition
process where political interest gropu is largely concerned with deploying its resources to gain access to decision makers
Term
coalition building
Definition
a form of indirect lobbying that signals to politicians that a particular issue is of concern to more than just an isolated segment of the public
Term
logrolling
Definition
"you support me on my issue, and i'll support you on yours"
Term
mass media
Definition
most powerful way to shape public opinion and attitude
Term
test case
Definition
lawsuit filed to test the constitutionality of some government policy
Term
amicus curiae brief
Definition
legal brief filed by someone or some organization with an interest in a case but not an actual party to it
Term
527s
Definition
can raise as much money as they want because dont give it directly to parties or candidates
Term
Federal Elections Campaign Act (FECA)
Definition
1971 allowed unions and corp.s to form PACs to raise and contribute campaign funds to candidates - switched to FEC in 1974
Term
major weakness in IG's in US
Definition
not all participate equally
Term
demosclerosis
Definition
hardening of gov't because of interest groups
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