Special Interest Groups

Question 1

Describe the 3 Main areas in which political parties and Interest groups differ

Answer 1

1. The making of the nominations
2. Their primary focus
3. The scope of their interests

Question 2

How do interest groups simulate interest in public affairs?

Answer 2

by developing and promoting the policies they favor and by opposing the policies they see as threats to their interests

Question 3

What are some additional functions of interest groups?

Answer 3

1. Help simulate interest in public affairs
2. Represent their members on the basis of shared attitudes than geography
3. Provide useful/detailed information to the government

Question 4

What are interest groups criticized on?

Answer 4

1. Some interest groups have an influence far out of proportion to their size
2. Hard to tell who or how many people a group really represents
3. Don’t represent the views of all the people they claim to speak for
4. Their tactics could undermine the whole political system

Question 5

What are the four major types of economically based interest groups?

Answer 5

1. Business groups
2. Labor Groups
3. Agricultural groups
4. Professional groups

Question 6

For what reasons, other than economic ones, are interest groups created?

Answer 6

• Groups that promote causes
• organizations that promote the welfare of certain people
• religious organizations

Question 7

What is a public interest group?

Answer 7

An interest group that seeks to institute certain public policies of benefit to all or most people in this country, whether or not they belong to or support that organization

Question 8

What is public policy?

Answer 8

All of the goals a government sets and the various courses of action it pursues as it attempts to realize these goals