Comparative politics: pressure groups

Question 1

Areas of similarity of pressure groups?

Answer 1

1. Both the US and UK have seen a growth in membership and influence in pressure groups
   E.g. the National Trust in the UK had 5 million members in 2017, and the AARP in the US had over 37 million
2. Many of the tactics are similar such as insider groups lobbying
   E.g. the BMA try to lobby MPs to influence their votes on government bills, and often sit before backbench committees
   E.g. the NRA successfully lobbied Congressmen to vote against Obama’s gun control proposals
3. In both countries pressure groups represent a wide range of groups
   E.g. the Christian Coalition of America in the US and Greenpeace in the UK

Question 2

How do pressure groups differ in the UK and US?

Answer 2

1. There are more access points in the US than UK
   E.g. the sheer number of elections, including primaries and direct democracy
   E.g. UK is restricted to general elections
2. Involvement in election campaigns
   E.g. 1st Amendment rights and recent SC cases have allowed pressure groups to spend virtually unlimited amounts in election campaigns (Citizens United v FEC 2010)
   E.g. there are tighter laws in the US on campaign expenditure, the pro Brexit campaign group ‘Vote Leave’ was investigated by the Electoral Commission for exceeding the £7million budget and was sanctioned
3. Lobbying
   E.g. targeting individual legislatures is more likely to yield results as party ties are weaker
   E.g. lobbying parliament and individuals is less likely to succeed due to stronger party unity

Question 3

How can the structural theory be used to analyse pressure groups?

Answer 3

1. Access points and how they vary in number and importance
   E.g. there are far more elections in the US, including primaries
2. The importance in the US of the SC as a focus for lobbying
   E.g. Pressure groups present amicus curiae briefs for relevant SC cases to influence justices, such as in 2018 when the Christian Coalition of America produced an amicus curiae brief against legalising large-scale betting
3. The lobbying of EU bodies where many important regulations are drawn up
   E.g.

Question 4

How can the rational theory be used to analyse pressure groups?

Answer 4

1. Again in the USA, groups will also target the USSC using amicus curiae briefs as the Court is very powerful politically. The UKSC is less powerful in terms of framing policy outcomes
   E.g.. in 2018 the Christian Coalition of America produced an amicus curiae brief against legalising large-scale betting
2. In the UK, there is less lobbying of MPs as
   they are less likely to deviate from the party
   line than in the USA
   E.g. PM can use the whip system, Boris removed the whip of 22 MPs for voting against him on Brexit measures
3. US groups often donate large sums to political campaigns as they are relatively free to spend the money how they like, provided it is independent expenditure. This is not the case in the UK
   E.g. Citizens Utd v FEC 2010 ruled that pressure groups and corporations are individuals and therefore should not be capped in their freedom of speech through donation

Question 5

How can the cultural theory be used to analyse pressure groups?

Answer 5

1. The historical link in the UK between the Labour Party and the trade union movement
   E.g. The Labour Party was formed and funded by the trade union movement around the turn of the 20th Century, and still heavily relies on them today
2. The tradition in America of individual political expression (1st amendment rights), reflected by SC cases
   E.g. Citizens Utd v FEC 2010
3. The importance of direct action in both countries for more marginalised and minority-oriented groups to gain publicity
   E.g. the civil rights movement

Question 6

Pressure groups are more powerful in the US than UK?

Answer 6

1. Yes, the role and expenditure of US groups in election campaigns and the limits on British groups to do likewise.
   E.g. well funded pressure groups like the NRA spent $30million on Trump’s campaign in 2016
   E.g. UK donations are tightly regulated and campaigns are capped at £30k per constituencies
2. No, both countries have pressure groups with large memberships
   E.g. the NRA have an estimated membership of 4.4 million
   E.g. the UK based Greenpeace have an estimated 2.3 million members worldwide
3. Yes US pressure groups have more opportunities to lobby
   E.g. there are frequent elections every 2 years, as well as state election and primaries etc.
   E.g. UK elections are limited to just once every 5 years
4. Yes, larger control over the legislature
   E.g. lobbying is more important in the US as there are frequent campaigns and party leaders cannot always control the party
   E.g. lobbying is less important in the UK as there are infrequent campaigns and there is a formal whip system meaning MPs are more likely to ignore lobbyists and follow the party (Boris removed the whip from 22 MPs for voting against him on Brexit measures)

Question 7

The main difference in tactics between US and UK pressure groups is their involvement in the judicial branch?

Answer 7

1. No, US pressure groups play a larger role in making political donations, informing voters and running their own ads on television. Refer to PACs/Super PACs
2. Yes, the role played by US groups in lobbying
   the courts, especially SCOTUS using amicus
   curiae briefs
   E.g. in 2018 the Christian Coalition of America produced an amicus curiae brief against legalising large-scale betting
3. No, US pressure groups target far more institutions as there are more access points
   E.g.