Exam 11: Interest Groups

Which theory says that public policy is a product of whatever the majority of citizens prefer?

While membership numbers are important to an interest group, the wealth of its members is also important. Why?

Robert Dahl describes a number of "access points" for special interest groups to influence policy. Which of the following is NOT one of these access points?

Robert Dahl's "access points"

What are some of the reasons that certain interest groups are more powerful than others? Name several of the most powerful interest groups in existence today. What factors may have led to their rise in American politics?

A Crédit Mobilier was

Which term is used to describe how interest groups go about influencing government officials?

How do interest groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) use litigation and the courts to advance their goals?

Which theory says that public policy largely results from a variety of interest groups competing with one another to promote laws that benefit members of their respective groups?

An interest group that typically focuses on one particular industry, with members of the group being drawn exclusively from that industry, is referred to as a(n)

The satisfaction that a group member receives from interacting with like-minded individuals for a particular cause is referred to as a(n)

Noneconomic interest groups that focus on specific and sometimes very narrow perspectives and issues, such as abortion or capital punishment, are referred to as

Unlike interest groups, political parties

The most successful grassroots lobbying organization, with more than 40 million members, is the

de Tocqueville praised

Discuss the free rider problem. Explain how it operates and explain the pros and cons of operating as a free rider.

The number of interest groups is large. How many Americans are estimated as belonging to at least one group?

Noneconomic interest groups that exist to promote the broad, collective good of citizens and consumers are called

What guarantees does the First Amendment provide to interest groups?

An organization of people with shared goals that tries to influence public policy through a variety of activities is called