1. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition is most closely linked to
a. pluralism b. elitism c. socialism d. pacifism
2. An example of an interest group which pursues its goals primarily through litigation is the
a. ACLU b. American Tobacco Institute c. AARP d. Veterans of Foreign Wars
3. One criticism of the pluralistic viewpoint of interest groups is that the theory is
a. elitist
b. amoral
c. focuses on overall public interest
d. None of the above
4. C. Wright Mills believed that if pluralism exists, it
a. consists entirely of political interest groups
b. really consists of competing groups of elites
c. involves the masses
d. involves predominantly blue-collar workers
5. According to David Truman, a moderating influence on interest group politics is
a. socialization
b. multiple/overlapping memberships
c. potential interest groups
d. All of the above
6. Which of the following roles do interest groups fulfill?
a. Supplement Congressional representation
b. Initiate ideas
c. Perform a watchdog function
d. All of the above
7. Interest groups differ from political parties in that
a. interest groups promote their goals by running candidates for elected office
b. interest groups seek direct control of the government
c. interest groups seek responsibility for the management of government
d. interest groups seek to influence government rather than nominating candidates for
office
8. Which of the following is considered an “economic” interest group?
a. Sierra Club
b. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
c. National Right to Life Committee
d. Public Citizen
9. Which of the following is considered a “single-issue” interest group?
a. Sierra Club
b. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
c. National Right to Life Committee
d. Public Citizen
10. Which of the following is considered a “citizen” interest group?
a. American Medical Association
b. National Beer Wholesalers Association
c. National Right to Life Committee
d. Public Citizen
11. “Climate control” is the label applied to interest group tactics which
a. use public outreach to build favorable public opinion of the organization or company
b. seek to personally persuade political leaders to support the group’s position
c. provide financial aid or other forms of support for favored office seekers
d. are more commonly known as peaceful protests
12. The practice of organizing citizens to exert direct pressure on public officials in support of
an interest group’s policy preferences is known as
a. grassroots mobilization
b. grass tops mobilization
c. Astroturf lobbying
d. coalition formation
13. Which of the following organizations spent the most money lobbying government during
the last 15 years?
a. U.S. Chamber of Commerce b. AT&T c. General Motors d. AARP
14. The filing of amicus curiae briefs is one form of lobbying
a. the President b. Congress c. the courts d. All of the above
15. Which of the following most closely reflects pluralism?
a. Politics is ambition countering ambition
b. Politics is a quest for a just and moral society
c. Individual fulfillment and social good are one and the same
d. People without rules could produce a community free of strife
16. Which of the following can be said of pluralism?
a. It is a philosophical commitment to diversity.
b. Implicit in a pluralistic philosophy is disdain for difference.
c. Pluralism respects difference, which translates to civility.
d. A and C but not B
17. As discussed in the Democracy in Crisis podcast, “individual agency”
a. is the result of the state governments possessing too much power.
b. is achieved when people are engaged in participating in public policy debate.
c. is encouraged by wealthy interest groups which become involved in electoral politics.
d. is dangerous to democracy because unqualified people would influence policy.
18. The Democracy in Crisis podcast pointed out the following crisis in U.S. democracy:
a. political polarization
b. rise in wealthy, powerful interest groups
c. “vetocracy”
d. All of the above.
e. A and B but not C.
