Question 1

Advocates for American financial firms and members of Occupy Wall Street both had to contend with the challenge of collective action.

Accepted Answer

Both advocates for American financial firms and members of Occupy Wall Street had to mobilize and coordinate large groups of people in order to advance their respective goals and messages. This required overcoming the coordination problems and free-rider issues that can arise in collective action situations.

Question 2

Labor groups account for the largest number and the largest amount of campaign donations of all categories.

Accepted Answer

While labor groups do contribute significantly to political campaigns, especially in support of pro-labor policies and candidates, the largest amounts of campaign donations typically come from business sectors and individual contributions.

Question 3

Iron triangles are the coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of interest groups, Congress, and the bureaucracy to achieve a set of shared policy goals, sometimes against the general interests of society of the specific groups within it.

Accepted Answer

Iron triangles are a real phenomenon in American politics where interest groups, Congress, and the bureaucracy collaborate to achieve set policy goals. While beneficial for those involved, these arrangements may not always align with the general interests of society or specific groups within it.

Question 4

If a group member is rewarded simply by the satisfaction of working with others to achieve a common goal or purpose, he/she would be receiving a ______ benefit.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If a group member is rewarded simply...

Question 5

An individual who enjoys collective goods while also helping to secure them would be a free rider.

Accepted Answer

A free rider is someone who enjoys the benefits of a collective good without contributing to its provision. An individual who both enjoys and contributes to securing collective goods is not a free rider.

Question 6

Interest groups rarely involve themselves in the election process.

Accepted Answer

Interest groups frequently involve themselves in the election process by endorsing candidates, making campaign contributions, and mobilizing voters to support their preferred candidates.

Question 7

The power elite is limited to the top-ranking elected officials in government.

Accepted Answer

The power elite refers to a small group of individuals from various sectors of society, including government officials, corporate leaders, and military commanders, who hold a disproportionate amount of power and influence in society. It is not limited to only elected officials in government.

Question 8

Many would argue that the federal government's response to the financial crisis of 2008 favored powerfully connected financial firms at the expense of the average citizen. Would you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many would argue that the federal government's...

Question 9

Members of Occupy Wall Street would most likely believe in the ______ theory of interest groups, which focuses on the advantages certain interests have in the political process based on the unequal distribution of economic and political power.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Members of Occupy Wall Street would most...

Question 10

According to opensecrets.org, the defense industry had the highest dollar amount of campaign contributions in 2016.

Accepted Answer

In 2016, the industries contributing the most to campaign contributions were finance, insurance, and real estate, not the defense industry.

Question 11

How did members of the financial industry as well as members of government use the threat of serious economic consequences to advance their agenda? What did many ordinary citizens do in response?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How did members of the financial industry...

Question 12

When agencies tasked with regulating businesses, industries, or other interest groups are populated by individuals with close ties to the very firms that they are supposed to regulate, it is defined as ______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When agencies tasked with regulating businesses, industries,...

Question 13

Why do some social movements meet with success while others simply die out or fail?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do some social movements meet with...

Question 14

In a pluralistic society, the distribution of power among many competing groups serves to keep any one of them in check.

Accepted Answer

In a pluralistic society, power is distributed among many groups, which prevents any one group from having too much control or influence. This system of checks and balances ensures that different voices are heard and that power is not concentrated in the hands of a select few.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Webs of influence among interest groups, policy...

Question 16

In his famous book Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville was struck with Americans' "passion for joining." What major questions accompany the idea that we are a "nation of joiners"? How can these questions be addressed in our study of political science?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In his famous book Democracy in America,...

Question 17

Inside lobbying efforts focus on the content of a piece of legislation as well as the levels of funding for agencies and programs through the appropriation process.

Accepted Answer

Inside lobbying efforts typically involve working directly with legislators and other government officials to influence the content of legislation or the allocation of funding through the appropriation process. These efforts may include providing information and analysis, building relationships with key decision-makers, and advocating for specific policy positions or funding priorities.

Question 18

When a group member is rewarded with new connections and access to other members of the group through participation in the group, he/she is receiving a social benefit.

Accepted Answer

When a group member is rewarded with new connections and access to other members of the group through participation in the group, it is considered a social benefit.

Question 19

The group that actively protested against economic inequality following the economic crisis of 2008 was ______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The group that actively protested against economic...

Question 20

What is a collective action? How do interest groups overcome the major challenges that collective action problems pose?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is a collective action? How do...

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