How are PGs successesful? Flashcards
Funding of Pressure Groups
Big Groups
- Funding often determines a PG’s methods. Wealthy groups typically can afford expensive campaigns, employing lobbyists and celebrities, sponsor political parties (trade unions with Labour and businesses with esp. Tories) and purchase favourable publicity.
- Cost of membership of sectional groups helps to fund these campaigns. For example, the banking industry (IOD/CBI) have considerable funds and have secured favourable govt treatment.
- Small groups may not have sustainable funds - relies on public opinion as wealthy groups have a disproportinate amount of influence (elitism = esp. if the govt benefits).
- HOWEVER = not always decisive - despite TU donating a great amount, it doesn’t always result in favourable leg.
Methods Used
Lobbying
- The more peaceful the methods, the more likely that the government will wish to associate and listen to the PG (British Medical Association compared to Extinction Rebellion). More likely to be asked to lobby or sit on legislative committees.
- EXAMPLE = CBI is an insider group which govts listen to in relation to how policy may affect British businesses - lobbied Osborne to lower the corporation tax rate, bringing it down from 28% to 19%.
- EXAMPLE - in 2023, the NFU successfully lobbied to ensure rural households receive additional energy help when they were ‘off-grid’.
- INTERESTINGLY = typically those who hold outsider status to the govt will resort to violent methods compared to insider groups - less listened too.
EXAMPLES OF METHODS
Campaigning and the media
CAMPAIGNING = groups without direct access to the govt try mobilise public opinions by promoting themselves. Ranges from mass demonstrations, e-petitions, use of celebrities to gain publicity. Example: Fathers4Justice for father rights and significant campaigning by the NFU’s campaign led to the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill in 2023.
MEDIA = critical for success that the press, tv or radio publicise their concerns or large pressure groups may pay money to employ experts and administrators and to finance expensive advertising in the mass media. Despite being politically neutral, the PG may gain support (e.g Marcus Rashford’s campaign for free-school meals during COVID-19).
Examples of methods
Illegal + grants to partners
ILLEGAL = inc. civil disobedience - often as a last resort when all other methods had failed. Examples include Just Stop Oil blocking roads and vandalism of famous art paintings and Greenpeace destroying genetically modified crops.
GRANTS = political parties - e.g Labour is financed by trade unions (received £1.5M in donations in the third quarter of 2022). Many businesses and large companies send donations to all parties, but particularly to the Conservatives as PGs aim to influence policy by sitting on committees.
Size
- Greater the membership, the more pressure it can exert on a govt, especially as they will face re-election and must comply with what the majority wishes.
- SUCCESSFUL = BMA contributed to intro. the ban to smoking in enclosed public spaces in 2007. 38 Degrees stopped the privitisation of English forests (2.5M supporters).
- FAILURE = typical of PGs rep people with rare medical conditions, local action groups and those that newly emerged (needs time to make an impact).
- Issue of HYPER-PLURALISM = makes govt decision-making harder - smaller, less powerful groups finds the voice drowned out due to the excessive number of PGs. E.G various pressure groups opposed the Health and Social Care Bill, including The People’s Assembly - possibly better just to have the HOC/HOL scrutinise.
- ISSUE OF ELITISM = questionable as only certain PGs are listened to. Considered tyranny of the majority as it removes minority rights and is considered undemocratic.
Examples of how size is irrelevant
Govt might be in a position where it can resist a popular campaign:
- Anti-war coalition for Iraq 2003 = supported by parliament despite how well-organised it was.
- Benefit cuts/intro of tuition fees for uni = Coalition govt felt confidence because it had 3/4yrs to convince people under the Fixed Term Act.
Public opinion
- Public sentient and strong campaigning - more successful in raising issues, esp. if it’s evidence-based (BMA).
- ASH helped intro. anti-smoking legislation and Stonewall promoting protection of LGBTQ+ rights.
- Joanna Lumley’s campaign to allow Gurkhas who had served in the British Army before 1997 to settle in the UK was popular with the public = crucial factor in the campaign’s ultimate success in 2009.
- Conservative in nature groups are at a disadvantage - seeking to hold back social and cultural change means they have small support (tyranny of maj?)
- Lack of public support however doesn’t mean PG automatically fail - only if they campaign against smth that has widespread support.
- Alienating the public through demands means unlikely to suceed = several sectors like the RMT stikes in 2022/23, criminal demands by ALF/PETA and the NUS’s violent outburst costing public sympathy - easier for the govt to resist demands.
Government at the time
- Successful if they have a sympathetic government.
- Coalition 2010-15 = influence of Lib Dems ensured groups campaigning in favour of the Poor Child Poverty Action Group succeeded, reducing tax burden on low-income workers.
- Labour is more likely to be influenced compared to the Tories. TU struggles to influence Conservative govts (listens to those who economically benefits them).
- Labour is unsympathetic to groups seeking to oppose social reform (e.g anti-abortion and anti-gay groups). Potentially elitism as the minority are ignored by govt.
- Might contradict govt policy = NUS failed to stop tuition fees rising in 2011 and disability rights group, Inclusion Scotland, failed to end ‘bedrom tax’ as the coalition govt was committed to a policy of austerity and raising fees.
