Question 1

When a group manufactures or presents the facade of grassroots support that does not really exist on its own or at least would not have happened without the "purchase" of support by the lobbying firm itself, political scientists refer to this as ______.

Accepted Answer

Astroturf lobbying refers to the manufacturing of a grassroots movement by a lobbying firm or interest group rather than the movement arising organically from the public.

Question 2

Efforts that focus on reaching the constituents themselves rather than their representatives are described as ______ lobbying.

Accepted Answer

Outside lobbying, also known as grassroots lobbying, focuses on reaching constituents and mobilizing them to put pressure on their representatives to support a particular issue or policy. This can include organizing rallies, writing letters, making phone calls, and using social media to raise awareness and gain support.

Question 3

Which of the following groups would act on the behalf of the French Government to keep their members apprised of policy discussions during the appropriations process in Congress?

Accepted Answer

The group that would act on behalf of the French Government to keep their members apprised of policy discussions during the appropriations process in Congress would be a government interest group. Economic interest groups focus on promoting the economic interests of a particular industry or sector, while public interest groups focus on promoting the interests of the general public. Social movement groups focus on bringing attention and change to a particular social issue or cause. However, in this scenario, the focus is on the French Government's interests, which would be best represented by a government interest group.

Question 4

Which of the following is a concern for social movements?

Accepted Answer

One of the main concerns for social movements is that their protests will not lead to any significant change or that the government will ignore their demands. This is often a difficult and frustrating reality for activists who dedicate their time and resources to raising awareness about important social issues. While fundraising, competition with the powerful elite, and messaging to Congress are also concerns, they are not as central to the success or failure of a social movement as the possibility of being ignored or marginalized.

Question 5

A group advocating for the reduction of taxes on the sale of organic vegetables would be classified as which type of group?

Accepted Answer

This group is advocating for reduced taxes on the sale of organic vegetables, which would directly benefit their economic interests as sellers of those products.

Question 6

The founder of the Canadian activist group Adbusters, Kalle Lasn, created a blog entry in July 2011 that many credit as the origin of which movement?

Accepted Answer

Kalle Lasn's blog entry titled "Adbusters #97" called for a peaceful occupation of Wall Street as a way to protest against corporate greed and income inequality. This entry is often credited with initiating the Occupy Wall Street movement, which began on September 17, 2011, in New York City.

Question 7

Webs of influence among interest groups, policy makers, and policy advocates are known as ______.

Accepted Answer

Webs of influence among interest groups, policy makers, and policy advocates are known as issue networks. Iron triangles are a specific type of issue network that involves close relationships between interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies. Agency capture refers to the situation where a regulatory agency becomes too closely aligned with the industry it is meant to regulate. Governmental lobbies are essentially interest groups that lobby for government policies that benefit their members.

Question 8

Who suggested to the Occupy Wall Street group that it might be more beneficial to convert from a social movement group to an interest group?

Accepted Answer

Pundits, or political commentators and analysts, often provide advice and opinions on the effectiveness and strategies of social movements and interest groups. They may have suggested to the Occupy Wall Street group that they could attain greater political power and achieve their goals more effectively through organizing as an interest group rather than solely as a social movement.

Question 9

Which of the following groups acts on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals, including nonmembers of the group?

Accepted Answer

The group that acts on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals, including nonmembers of the group is the public interest group. Public interest groups are concerned with issues that have an impact on society as a whole, rather than the narrow interests of a particular group or industry. They aim to promote policies and programs that benefit the public, rather than any particular segment of society.

Question 10

Interest group success may best be determined by ______.

Accepted Answer

The success of an interest group can be best determined by how many laws were changed as this gives a direct measure of the impact the group had on policy decisions. The other options may be factors that contribute to success but do not necessarily reflect it.

Question 11

In September 2011, nearly one thousand people gathered to protest against the concentration of wealth at the very top of American society. Where did the protesters gather?

Accepted Answer

The protest against the concentration of wealth at the very top of American society in September 2011 was the Occupy Wall Street movement, and the protesters gathered at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan.

Question 12

Social movement success may best be determined by ______.

Accepted Answer

The success of a social movement may best be determined by the fact that the movement came together at all. This is because the mere organization and mobilization of people towards a common goal can be considered a success in itself, regardless of any concrete policy outcomes or changes in laws.

Question 13

The right of a citizen to lobby, or petition the government for a redress of grievances, was guaranteed by which Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The First Amendment guarantees the right of citizens to petition the government for a redress of grievances, along with the rights of freedom of speech, religion, and the press, and the right to peacefully assemble.

Question 14

A group advocating for the reduction of air pollution to save the environment would be classified as which type of group?

Accepted Answer

A group advocating for the reduction of air pollution to save the environment is most likely a public interest group, as they are advocating for a cause that benefits the public as a whole rather than a specific economic or government interest. They may also be classified as a social movement, but this term typically refers to a broader and more diverse collection of individuals and organizations working towards a common goal.

Question 15

According to data presented by opensecrets.org, the ______ sector accounted for the single largest group of contributions when analyzed by sector.

Accepted Answer

According to opensecrets.org, the finance, insurance, and real estate sector was the largest contributor to political campaigns during the 2020 election cycle, providing over $4.2 billion in donations. This sector has consistently ranked as the top contributor in previous election cycles as well.

Question 16

Mary and her fellow demonstrators are holding their state senator against his will until their demands for tax law changes are met. They know this is against the law and they may be arrested, but are fervent believers in their cause. Mary and her fellow protesters are participating in ______.

Accepted Answer

Mary and her fellow demonstrators are intentionally breaking the law (holding the senator against his will) to bring attention to their cause, which is an example of civil disobedience. A protest generally does not involve breaking the law or holding someone against their will. Indirect lobbying and social justice movements may also align with their cause, but are not specifically reflected in this scenario.

Question 17

Which of the following tactics are most likely to be used by social movements?

Accepted Answer

Protest and civil disobedience are common tactics used by social movements to bring attention to their cause and to pressure decision-makers to take action.

Question 18

Successful lobbying often depends on ______.

Accepted Answer

Personal relationships and access to decision makers are key factors in successful lobbying.

Question 19

Which of the following words best captures the tension between representation by individual Americans and the outcomes of the political process in which they engage?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following words best captures...

Question 20

Which of the following is a main contributing factor for social movement failures?

Accepted Answer

Social movements often have lofty goals and ideals, but lack the necessary resources and power to achieve them. This is a major contributing factor to their failure. Without sufficient power, they cannot implement change effectively and sustainably.

Quiz 8: Interest Groups and Social Movements: Collective Action, Power, and Representation