Political Science Test 3 (interest Groups)

23 cards   |   Total Attempts: 188
  

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What is an interest group?
An organization or association of people with common interest that participate in politics on behalf of their members
What are americans compared to citizens in other countries?
Joiners
why are americans considered joiners?
- because more than 3/4 of americans belong to at least one group

- and majority of americans make finacial contibution to 4 different groups (political or non-political)
what is required to maintain interest groups?
Investments and resources
What are those investments and resources?
-Time
-Money
What are the incentive of joining Interest Groups?
Solidarity - joining for social reasons
material - econimic incentive; tangible benefits
purposive - wish to advance group's social and political goods
What are free rider?
People that enjoy benefits of group activity without bearing any of the cost
when do people feel the incentive to" fre-ride" ?
When they feel their contribution (the cost) is not neccessary.
when does "free-ride" worsen ?
- when the group is larger
- greater the distance and intangibility of the benefit the group seeks
Where thus "Free-ride" comes from ?
Public and private goods
what is private (individual) good ?
Goods that you must purchase to enjoy, and your consumption of which means that other's can't consume it.
what is Public (collective) good?
Goods that you can enjoy without contributing, by free riding on efforts of others
How can the "free rider " problem be overcome ?
- coercion: social pressure, sometimes violence
- Enthusiam: (ex. social movements)
- selective benefit
- patrons and political entreprenuers
why are small groups more effective than large groups?
Because they are
- united on policy issues
- have more resources
How do nterest groups influence the government?
Through
- lobbying
- graddroots lobbying
- direct action
- electioneering and PACs
- persuasion
- litigation