Home

Student Resources

Chapter 11: Interest Groups

Multiple Choice

Multiple Choice

This activity contains 20 questions.

	Amicus curiae briefs   are written explanations for a court decision. are lawsuits submitted by interest groups. consist of written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. enable groups of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit.

	According to Mancur Olson, small interest groups generally are   insignificant. incoherent. less focused. more effective.

	According to the group theory of politics,   all groups are essentially equal. some groups are unable to compete due to lack of resources. most groups do not play by the rules of the game. groups provide a key linkage between people and government.

	According to the text, the least effective activity of lobbyists in Congress is   contributing to campaigns. providing information. activating members of Congress to vote on legislation. converting members of Congress to the lobbyists' positions.

	Agribusiness refers to   global markets for agricultural commodities. large-scale farming that has replaced many traditional family farms. the business of forming commodity associations. the creation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to regulate the farming industry.

	All people who might be group members because they share some common interest make up   an actual group. a potential group. a collective group. an interest group.

	Elite theorists would argue that the type of interest group with the most power would consist of   agriculture and agribusiness. business leaders. energy and environmental groups. consumer and public interest lobbies.

	In 1973, Congress responded to consumer advocacy by creating the   Environmental Protection Agency. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Federal Communication Commission. Securities and Exchange Commission.

	In going public, interest groups   extend membership to a broader range of people. use advertising and public relations to enhance their image. bring class action suits against their opponents. issue stock.

	Interest groups in America   run candidates for public office. are policy generalists. try to appeal to everyone. specialize in a policy area.

	James Madison's solution to the problems posed by interest groups was   to create a wide-open system. to make it difficult for groups to form. to limit the freedom of assembly in the Constitution. to create a system of proportional representation.

	Lobbying is   confined to the legislative branch at the national level. aimed at influencing decision-making. used only by large organizations. the most effective way to convert the views of members of Congress.

	One of the major indictments of the American interest-group system is that it   is unrepresentative of the American public. often uses illegal and corrupt practices. is biased toward the wealthy. favors large groups.

	Political Action Committee (PAC) money goes overwhelmingly to   independents. challengers. incumbents. Democrats.

	The conflict between environmental groups and energy producers illustrates   that when two groups clash, the wealthier group always has more influence. that group conflict produces policy stagnation. how the public interest lacks power. that group politics intensifies when two public interests clash.

	The free-rider problem refers to the difficulty of   small groups in raising enough money to influence policy. large groups in activating all their potential members. actual groups in collecting dues from members. potential groups in receiving their share in collective goods.

	The hyperpluralist complaint that interest group politics creates subgovernments refers to   the cooperative efforts of group leaders, government agencies, and members of congressional committees and subcommittees to promote special interests. the power of interest groups in determining government policies. the overwhelming influence of interest groups in local governments. the use of paid lobbyists on congressional committees and subcommittees.

	The theory that argues that interest group lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the many is the   elite theory. hyperpluralist theory. democratic theory. pluralist theory.

	The theory that holds that contending interest groups are so strong that government is weakened is   pluralism. group theory. elite theory. hyperpluralism.

	The union shop   outlaws union membership as a condition of employment. offers low-cost consumer goods to union members. requires new employees to join the union representing them. is supported by business groups.

Copyright © 1995 - 2010 Pearson Education . All rights reserved. Pearson Longman is an imprint of Pearson . Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Permissions