CHAPTER 2 - democracy and participation: pressure groups and other influences in the right context Flashcards
What is a pressure group?
- influence through external pressure, not government power
What are the key features of a pressure group?
- External to government, aiming to influence policy, not make it
- Narrow issue focus; some focus on single issue or related issues
- Members united by a shared belief or common interest
What are the 4 different types of pressure groups?
- Interest groups
- Cause groups
- Insider groups
- Outsider groups
What are interest groups - with examples
- they represent specific societal interests
- e.g. NEU, CBI, TUC
What are cause groups - with examples
- focus on shared values or causes
- e.g. green peace, CPA, Shelter
What are insider groups - with examples
- regularly consulted by the government
- e.g. core/peripheral insiders
- core insiders: regular, meaningful government consultation
- peripheral insiders: limited superficial government consultation
What are outsider groups - with examples
- no government ties, use the media and protests to gain influence
- denied status: use public campaigns due to lack of access
- choose outsider status: radical goals, resist government involvement
What is the extinction rebellion movement? - type, methods, objectives, significance
Type
- outsider, cause group
Methods
- non-violent direct action, protests
Objectives
1. Declare climate emergency
2. Net-zero emissions by 2025
3. Citizens’ assembly on climate change
Significance
- achieved local and parliamentary climate emergency declarations
- media visibility raised public awareness on climate issues
What are think tanks?
- a group of experts that provide advice on political, economic, and social issues
- research to shape policies, influence media, and present options
What is an example of a think tank?
Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) - market-focused, politically independent
- provide diverse ideas and evidence, enabling the public and politicians to make informed decisions
- seen as enriching democracy by conducting policy research, developing policy options and aiding debate
- critics argue they favor corporate decisions interests due to funding sources and tack transparency, undermining democracy
What are corporations?
- they do not vote but significantly impact democratic society’s
- large corporations like Tesco and Shell are crucial to the economy and seek large influence on laws and regulations affecting them (e.g. tax, environment, trade, workers’ rights)
- viewed as necessary voices in democracy due to economic impact, providing expertise, and strong ties to the government
- influence may overshadow others, creating an uneven playing field in politics
- trade unions, the natural counterbalance to corporations have weakened since the 1970’s
What are lobbyists?
Aim to influence government decisions, with the UK lobbying industry valued at 2 billion euros annually
What are the main advantages of lobbyists?
- improves decision making quality; well organized and wealthy groups may have in-house lobbying teams
What are the criticisms of lobbying?
- can favor wealthy interests with access sometimes based on connections rather than past expertise
- the 2014 transparency act (requires constant consultant lobbyists to register and disclose clients) = criticism remains as the act lacks provisions for transparency around meeting details, expenditures, and topics discussed
What are rights?
- rights which are common to all people
- all humans > regardless of background
- fundamental > inalienable, cannot be removed
- essential for human life > upheld in all cases
What are civil liberties?
- rights within a country > protecting individuals from the state
- core to democracy > limiting government power
Uk civil liberties development:
- civil liberties respected as democracy grew
- the basic principle was reinforced gradually through constitution events
> Magna Carta
> representation of the people act 1928: universal suffrage
> common law: rights to justice and courts
What are some key features that help pressure groups achieve success?
- prevention of unfriendly legislation or amendments to legislation
- achieving insider status
- success in finance
- organisation
- use of the media
- involvement of celebrities
- ideologically aligned with government
How are rights protected in the UK?
- consensus around rights in the UK began to change in the second half of the 20th century
> drafting the universal declaration of human rights (1948) and European convention on Human Rights (ECHR) (1950)
> ECHR protects the human rights of the people in countries that belong to the council of Europe
What are the key rights in the Human Rights Act? (1998)
ARTICLE:
- Right to LIFE
- Prohibition of TORTURE
- Prohibition of SLAVERY/FORCED LABOUR
- Right to LIBERTY/SECURITY
- Right to FAIR TRIAL
- No PUNISHMENT without LAW
- Respect for PRIVATE/FAMILY LIFE
- Freedom of THOUGHT/RELIGION
- Freedom of EXPRESSION
- Freedom of ASSEMBLY/ASSOCIATION
- Right to MARRY
- Prohibition of DISCRIMINATION
What are the key aims of the Human Rights act?
- Bring rights home - enabled UK courts to handle rights cases locally and allowed challenges to UK laws incompatible with the HRA
- Promote respect for rights - legal duty on public organisations to uphold human rights
- Raise public awareness - centralised rights in one document for easier access and understanding
What were the key aims of the freedom of information act? (2001)
- create a more open government (decisions should be open to scrutiny)
- build trust and public confidence in the authorities (make it easier to hold public authorities accountable for their actions)
What did the freedom of information act (2001) allow the public to do?
- allows the public to access information held by the public authorities
> they are required to publish certain information about their activities
When was liberty founded and what does it campaign for (mission)?
- 1934
- campaigns for fair treatment and dignity
- 10,500 members
- defends human rights and civil liberties, challenges injustice, and campaigns for fair treatment
What are the significant cases in Liberty?
- Gillian and Quinton (2003)
- challenged stop-and-search powers under Terrorism Act 2000 - Counter-Terrorism Bill (2003)
- opposed 42-day detention for terror suspects - Identity cards Act (2006)
- opposed identity cards as an erosion of civil liberties - Mass surveillance
- opposed government surveillance programs
What are the activities of the Liberty?
- landmark legal cases, policy advocacy, government lobbying, media engagement, and providing free legal advice
What was the purpose of the equality act 2010?
- combined 116 discrimination laws to strengthen and clarify protections
> lay out the ways it is unlawful to treat someone in the workplace and in wider society
> lays out what an individual can do if they feel that they have been discriminated against
> requires public bodies to pay attention to eliminating discrimination
What are the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010?
- age
- race
- disability
- religion
- gender reassignment
- marriage
- pregnancy
- sex
- sexual orientation
