Democracy : Pressure groups

Question 1

what are the 2 types of PG’s ?

Answer 1

sectional

cause

Question 2

difference between sectional and cause PG’s

Answer 2

sectional - aims to rep. interests and concerns of an occupation/ group within soc.
cause - aims to address an issue or group of related issues

Question 3

difference between insider and outsider PG’s ?

Answer 3

insider - privileged access to govt. decision making
outsider = do not have access to political decision making - needs to acheive polit. influence in other ways eg; gaining attention of govt. by winning public support.

Question 4

how do PG’s enhance public engagement ?

Answer 4

provides opportunities for non-electoral participation

- mouthpiece for minority interests = involvement by minority groups.

Question 5

what are 4 key factors that impact pressure group success in influencing government policy?

Answer 5

• Resources
• Ideological compatibility with the govt.
• Popularity
• Expertise

Question 6

success of a sectional PG with outsider status ?

Answer 6

• The Transport and General workers union and many others combined created a sig. trade unionist movement in the 1950’s- 1970’s as they gained prominence gaining 200,000 members per year after WWII. Jack jones who chaired the Trade Union congress had great power in trade union politics and throughout the labour movement = label of “emperor Jones” - later gained insider status via suport of labour in 1997 gen elec = introduction of national minimum wage

Question 7

success of a current insider pressure group enhancing democ ?

Answer 7

British medics Association - potects interests of Doctors and is also a cause G on issues that affect public health
- Achievements ;
- Campaign for a smoke free UK - contributed to placing pressure on govt on ban for smoking in enclosed public spaces.
- also gained support from other PG’s like Asthma UK regarding enforcement of the 2014 Children and Families bill which came into force in 2015 - ban on smoking in cars while children present.
- How? resourceful in mobilizing support and using the parliamentary process as well as willing to adapt to governments wishes to protect citizens rights as an outright ban on smoking in cars would intrude on this.
+ current influence on the UK govt with cross party support means that any calls for improvement or change by the public especially during national pandemics like Covid-19 are heard by the govt , their impact is greater as seen through the widespread media publication of the BMA’s call for long covid compensation for NHS workers.

Question 8

Success of a PG via use of media enhancing democracy?

Answer 8

Collective effort of international humanitarian organisations like Amnesty international used social media to force the UK government to admit Refugees during the Syrian refugee crisis - 2015

• national broadcast of a drowned Syrian boy in a beach in Greece provoked outrage from both inside and outside govt.
• more than 4 million signed an e-petition that demanded action and Cameron announced that the UK would take 20,000 refugees by 2020.

Question 9

PG’s that struggle to gain influence vs some that do depending on government support and funding?

Answer 9

• Conservative Friends of Israel has been a long-established pressure group affiliated with the Conservative party - also is one of the most well funded and highest donator PG to the Tories = sig. influence over foreign affairs such as peace deals and alliances, most recently gaining support of Johnson for achieving peace within the middle east via agreements with the UAE and Bahrain.
• deep comparison to PG’s like Greenpeace and Extinction rebellion who struggle to gain influence despite widespread media support by the youth ( XR- over 350,000 Twitter followers) suggests undemocratic and not pluralist, however - a result of the extremity of the policies that these PG’s wish to enforce as well as their methods used to gain influence through disruptive direct action (XR 1,100 arrests in summer 2019) - seen as a threat undermining UK’s democracy.

Question 10

Give an example of a PG that adequately represnets minority interests?

Answer 10

Stonewall - focus on lobbying parlia. to legislate for protection of rights LGBT ppl -
success;
- achieved law that allows for Gay people to serve in the military
- adoption rights for homosexual couples which are the same as hetero.

Question 11

PG’s are successful depending on their party affiliation and expertise.

Answer 11

• BMA - expertise
• Trade Unions like TGWU (Trans gen. workers union) - labour govt 1997
• Cons. friends of Israel - conservative party.

Question 12

impact of numbers in support by public and celebrities?

Answer 12

• Occupy London - unable to achieve aims for greater transparency in the UK’s democracy and an end to lobbying - disruptive direct actions and unrelaistic aims negatively viewed by wider public + govt and little financial backing to directly lobby decision makers = weak foundation for success
• Ghurka Justice campaign - aims to extend rights for all retired Ghurkas to live in Britain - actress Joanna Lumley provided group with powerful celebrity endorsement = gaining support of 250,000 signed a petition to downing street = high positive media coverage and pressure on Gordon brown = negative publicity for govt = extension of rights