Question 1

According to James Madison,a __________ is a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole.
A)faction
B)political party.
C)single-issue organization
D)special interest group

Accepted Answer

James Madison defined a "faction" as a group of individuals who are concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole, particularly in Federalist No. 10.

Question 2

Which of the following is hyperpluralists' main criticism of the interest group system?
A)Government is too deferential to interest groups' demands.
B)Interest groups are too weak to have much influence in government.
C)Elected officials are unresponsive to requests from interest groups.
D)Labor unions tend to dominate over other types of interest groups.

Accepted Answer

Hyperpluralists argue that the government is excessively deferential to the demands of interest groups, leading to a situation where policy-making becomes convoluted and often contradictory as it tries to accommodate the interests of multiple groups.

Question 3

The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts.
A)free-rider
B)pluralist
C)collective goods.
D)group coordination

Accepted Answer

The free-rider problem occurs when individuals benefit from resources, goods, or services without paying for them, which is common in scenarios where the benefits provided by a group are available to all members regardless of individual contribution.

Question 4

When a case that an interest group is interested in comes before the Supreme Court,the group can __________.
A)meet with judges to explain the group's policy preferences
B)file an amicus curiae brief in support of one side of the case
C)appeal the case to a higher court.
D)legally offer monetary incentives to the justices as long as the interest group is not a party to the case

Accepted Answer

Interest groups often file amicus curiae briefs to present their views and information to the court in cases they are interested in, but in which they are not directly involved. This allows them to influence the court's decision without being a party to the case.

Question 5

What is a trade association?
A)an organization that represents the federal government during the negotiation of international trade agreements
B)an organization that coordinates exchanges of information and resources among multiple interest groups
C)a type of labor union.
D)an organization that represents businesses within a specific industry

Accepted Answer

Trade associations are organizations that represent the interests of companies within a specific industry, focusing on collaboration, advocacy, and industry standards.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a public interest lobby?
A)a consumer rights group
B)a trade association
C)a labor union.
D)a group representing alpaca ranchers

Accepted Answer

A consumer rights group is an example of a public interest lobby because it seeks to promote the general public's welfare rather than the specific interests of its members.

Question 7

In order to overcome the free-rider problem,many interest groups offer selective benefits.What are selective benefits?
A)the policies that interest groups help to bring about
B)gifts given to members of Congress in return for their support on legislation.
C)benefits given only to group members
D)campaign contributions to elected officials

Accepted Answer

Selective benefits are specific advantages provided only to members of an interest group, distinguishing them from broader public benefits that non-members might also enjoy. This exclusivity helps interest groups attract and retain members by offering them something non-members do not receive.

Question 8

What is an amicus curiae brief?
A)a written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case
B)an internal memo circulated among interest group leaders,briefing them on the details of a court case
C)a petition submitted to Congress in support of or opposition to a judicial nominee
D)a petition submitted to an executive branch agency,requesting a review of the agency's decision.

Accepted Answer

An amicus curiae brief is a document submitted to a court by someone who is not a party to the case, offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. The purpose is to assist the court in its decision-making by presenting arguments or perspectives that the court might not otherwise consider.

Question 9

What do right-to-work laws uphold?
A)amicus curiae briefs
B)workers' rights to collective goods
C)the requirement that workers in a union shop must join the union.
D)workers' freedom to decline the opportunity to join a union

Accepted Answer

Right-to-work laws ensure that employees have the right to choose whether or not to join or financially support a union in their workplace, thereby upholding workers' freedom to decline union membership.

Question 10

James Madison described how a government could be designed to control the effects of __________.
A)monarchies
B)factions
C)representative government
D)aristocracies

Accepted Answer

James Madison, in Federalist No. 10, described how a government could be designed to control the effects of factions, arguing that a large republic would be the best form of government to mitigate the negative effects of factions.

Question 11

A(n) __________ refers to an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals.
A)corporation.
B)interest group
C)iron triangle.
D)faction

Accepted Answer

Interest groups are organizations of people who share common policy goals and attempt to influence policy by engaging in the political process at various points.

Question 12

What is an iron triangle?
A)a joining together of interest groups or individuals to achieve common goals
B)a form of sub government composed of leaders of interest groups,government agencies,and congressional committees
C)a nonprofit,tax-free policy planning organization that concentrates on policy development
D)an organization that solicits and receives campaign contributions from corporations,unions,trade associations,and other groups.

Accepted Answer

An iron triangle is a unique relationship that forms between a bureaucratic agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group, working together to advance and protect their respective interests. This ensures mutual benefit where the agency receives legislative support and budgetary allocations, the committee gains expert advice and support for its policy agenda, and the interest group influences policy and benefits from favorable legislation or regulation.

Question 13

What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)?
A)an organization within a political party that coordinates campaign events.
B)an organizations that focuses on grassroots lobbying
C)an organization that conducts voter registration drives
D)an organization that solicits campaign contributions from like-minded individuals and distributes them to political candidates

Accepted Answer

Political Action Committees (PACs) are organizations that collect funds from members or donors with similar political interests and then donate those funds to support or oppose political candidates, legislation, or ballot initiatives. They play a significant role in campaign finance, aiming to influence the outcome of elections and policy decisions.

Question 14

Which of the following raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to political candidates?
A)527 organizations.
B)coordinating committees
C)iron triangles
D)Political Action Committees (PACs)

Accepted Answer

Political Action Committees (PACs) are organizations that collect funds from donors and then distribute these funds to candidates running for public office. They play a significant role in the financing of election campaigns.

Question 15

What is lobbying?
A)communication as a representative of a group with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy
B)conducting surveys to gauge public opinion on a policy issue
C)convincing potential members to join an interest group by offering them material benefits.
D)fundraising for political candidates and educating the public about the activities of government

Accepted Answer

Lobbying involves communication by representatives of a group with government officials to influence their decisions in favor of a specific policy or legislation. This is a direct effort to shape policy outcomes according to the group's interests.

Question 16

Elitists generally argue that __________.
A)all legitimate groups are able to affect public policy by one means or another.
B)corporations hold tremendous power
C)the American political terrain is characterized by a dispersion of power
D)the government is run for the benefit of all the people

Accepted Answer

Elitists argue that power is concentrated in the hands of a few, particularly corporations and wealthy individuals, rather than being dispersed or shared equally among all societal groups.

Question 17

Which of the following is the main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers?
A)public interest group
B)trade association.
C)union shop
D)labor union

Accepted Answer

Labor unions are the primary type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers, focusing on issues such as wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Question 18

Which of the following statements best represents the hyperpluralist view?
A)All legitimate interests in the political system can get a hearing from government once they are organized.
B)Awesome power is held by the largest corporations.
C)There are too many special interest groups getting too much of what they want.
D)When one group throws its weight around too much,its opponents are likely to intensify their organization and thus restore balance to the system.

Accepted Answer

Hyperpluralism suggests that the political system is overwhelmed by too many interest groups, each getting too much of what they want, which leads to a fragmented system unable to serve the common good effectively.

Question 19

Generally speaking,Political Action Committee (PAC) and Super PAC contributions have __________.
A)become increasingly important in congressional elections
B)decreased for incumbents but increased for challengers and open seats.
C)become less important in federal elections and more important in state elections
D)become less important

Accepted Answer

Political Action Committees (PACs) and Super PACs have become increasingly important in congressional elections, playing a significant role in funding campaigns and influencing election outcomes. Their financial contributions allow them to support candidates who align with their interests, making them a crucial part of the political landscape.

Question 20

What is a public interest lobby?
A)a group that conducts research and analysis on public policy issues
B)a group that expresses its political views publicly
C)a group that believes it is working to benefit society as a whole
D)a group that represents workers within a particular industry.

Accepted Answer

A public interest lobby is defined as a group that believes it is working to benefit society as a whole, rather than representing the interests of a specific segment of society such as an industry or profession.

Quiz 10: Interest Groups

According to James Madison,a __________ is a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole.

Which of the following is hyperpluralists' main criticism of the interest group system?

The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts.

When a case that an interest group is interested in comes before the Supreme Court,the group can __________.

What is a trade association?

Which of the following is an example of a public interest lobby?

In order to overcome the free-rider problem,many interest groups offer selective benefits.What are selective benefits?

What is an amicus curiae brief?

What do right-to-work laws uphold?

James Madison described how a government could be designed to control the effects of __________.

A(n) __________ refers to an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals.

What is an iron triangle?

What is a Political Action Committee (PAC) ?

Which of the following raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to political candidates?

What is lobbying?

Elitists generally argue that __________.

Which of the following is the main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers?

Which of the following statements best represents the hyperpluralist view?

Generally speaking,Political Action Committee (PAC) and Super PAC contributions have __________.

What is a public interest lobby?