Civic Virtue
The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good.
Collective Good
Somehting of vaule that cannot be withheld from a nonmemeber of a group, for example, a tax write-off or a better environment.
Disturbance Theory
The theory that interest groups from a result of changes in the political systems.
Earmark
Funds that an appropriations bill designates for specific projects within a state or congressional district.
Economic Interest Group
A group with the primary purpose of promoting the financial interests of its members.
Free Rider Problem
Potential members fail to join a group because they can get the benefit, or collective good, sought by the group without contributing the effort.
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
Lobbying reform banning gifts to members of Congress and their staffs, toughening disclosure requirements, and increasing time limits on moving from the federal government to the private sector.
Interest Group
A collection of people or organizations that tries to influence public policy.
Lobbying
The activities of a group or organization that seek to persude political leaders to support the group's position.
Lobbyist
Interest group representative who seeks to influence legislation that will benefit his or her organization or client through political and/ or financial persuasion.
Patron
A person who finances a group or individual activity.
Pluralist Theory
The theory that political power is distributed among a wide array of diverse and competing interest groups.
Political Action Committee
Officially registered fund-raising organization that represents interest groups in the political process.
Population Ecology Theory
The theory that the formation of political organizations is conditional on the resources allocated to a given issue area.
Public Interest Group
An organization that seeks a collective good that will not selectively and materially benefit group members.
Social Capital
Cooperative relationships that facilitate the resoultion of collective problems.
Trade Association
A group that represents a specific industry.
Transactions Theory
The theory that public policies are the result of narrowly defined exchange among political actors.