Interest Groups and Lobbying Quiz

What is an association in the context of interest groups?

• A group of individuals with no common concerns

• A group of companies or institutions organized around a common set of concerns

• A political party

• A government agency

What is an astroturf movement?

• A genuine grassroots movement

• A movement supported by average citizens

• A political movement resembling grassroots but supported by wealthy interests

• A movement initiated by government officials

What was the outcome of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case?

• Only individuals could spend money on elections

• Corporations and unions were restricted from spending on elections

• Elections were publicly funded

• Corporations and unions were granted the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections

What is a collective good?

• A good such as public safety or clean air available to the population as a whole

• A luxury item

• A good produced by private companies

• A private good available only to members of a group

Who is a contract lobbyist?

• A volunteer lobbyist

• A lobbyist working for a non-profit organization

• A lobbyist working for a contract lobbying firm representing clients before government

• A lobbyist working directly for a government agency

What does the disturbance theory suggest?

• Interest groups are always formed by government mandate

• Interest groups are ineffective in influencing policy

• An external event can lead to interest group mobilization

• Interest groups form naturally without external influence

What is the elite critique?

• The notion that government officials are unbiased

• The proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those without resources

• The belief that all interest groups have equal influence

• The idea that only grassroots movements are effective

What is the free rider problem?

• When individuals pay more than their fair share

• When individuals receive benefits without helping to bear the cost

• When government fails to provide public goods

• When only a few people benefit from a public good

What is a grassroots movement?

• A movement initiated by government officials

• A political movement that begins from the bottom up, inspired by average citizens

• A movement led by corporate interests

• A movement that is only theoretical

What is inside lobbying?

• Lobbying through social media

• The act of contacting and taking the organization's message directly to lawmakers

• Lobbying through public demonstrations

• Lobbying by writing letters to the editor