trine that is linked to a religious (generally Catholic) group. Leadership Recruitment: The process through which a political political system attracts its leadership; generally political parties play a key role in this process. Mass Parties: Parties that grow out of a working class movement, usally these parties have socialist orientations. Party Platform: The set of policy orientations officially held by a political party.Political Aggregation: The process through which a political system reduces the multitude of interest group demands into a cohesive, manageable party ideology - this generally takes the form of a party platform. Political Party: An organization that unites people in an effort to win government office and thereby influence or control government policies.Social Democrats: Political parties and their supporters who adhere to a moderate non-marxist form of socialism.Two and one-half party system: A national party system where in which two parties are predominant but a third party regularly presents a significant chalange to the two main parties. Chapter SixElite Theory: The idea that a single, generally unified elite dominates society; tipically contrasted with pluralism. Free Rider: An idividual who enjoys the benefits of a collective effort without paying into the coffers. Interest Group: An organization that attempts to influence public policy in a specific area of importance to its members.Lobbying: Efforts by a group to influence public officials by formal and informal contracts with them.Nondecisions: Problems and issues that are specificly not delt with; elite theorist point to such problems and argue that elites protect their own interests by steering government away from such "problems" that would hurt their power. Pluralism: The idea that their are many centers of political power in society. Power Elite: The name of the set of forces that (supposedly) govern society, namely: leaders of the military, ...
