Interest Groups Flashcards
Evaluate the view that pressure groups are ultimately good for democracy
-paragraph 1: accountability
-paragraph 2: participation
-paragraph 3: representation
Paragraph 1: topic sentence
-it can be argued that pressure groups are ultimately good for democracy, given their level of specialised expertise with robust evidence which provides an effective check on policies passed by the government, enhancing the fundamental requirement of accountability for democracy
Paragraph 1: point 1
-blair’s anti-terror legislation: Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001 which, in the aftermath of 9/11, granted authorities with extensive powers to detain foreign nationals suspected of tourism indefinitely.
- several human rights campaigns congregated and files specialised briefs in several court cases such as A v Secretary of state for the home department (2004) and advocated that these provisions passed by government went against human rights and justice under the principle of a fair trial (habeus corpus)
-outlines how interest groups are able to accumulate substantial evidence to check and place the government to account in passing policies that apply an undue burden on human rights.
Paragraph 1: point 2
-the influence of the alcohol industry on minimum unit pricing in england, illustrates another example which interest groups apply the needed pressure to check the government’s proposed policies.
-enforced an aggressive and coordinated campaign to block the policy to introduce the minimum unit pricing for alcohol
Framed MUP as a threat to the economy, small businesses and consumer checks as they would harm pubs, small retailers and lower income consumers.
-effectively nullified the rationale of the government’s proposition of MUP to combat the issue of alcohol-related harm and excessive drinking
-led to the evidential abandonment of MUP and subsequently passing a less impactful measure banning the sale of alcohol below the cost of duty plus VAT.
-yielding a positive impact on policies by checking the government’s propositions, thus enhancing accountability
Paragraph 1: volta
However a more convincing argument is that pressure groups’ benefits to democracy are overstated as via their funded studies they can skew evidence in favour of their own lobbyist position, thus distorting public debate and diminishing their impact to enhancing accountability in democracy.
Paragraph 1: point 1 (counter)
- the way Scotland successfully passed the MUP in 2018 which subsequently outlined the potential benefits of the policy, which highlights how commercial interest as of the alcohol industry can derail evidence-based initiatives, tainting their edge to check the government appropriately.
Paragraph 1: point 2 (counter)
-there are cases where pressure groups also threaten the ethical conduct and accountability within UK politics, thus posing a threat to democracy
-Greensill controversy, a major lobbying scandal that unfolded in 2021, revealed the issues of transparency, accountability and ethics with dealing with private companies
-the way Green sill was granted undue access to government decision-makers during the pandemic and sought to gain access to emergency loans, highlights how interest groups can, via supposedly aiding decision-makers, can exploit their access and role of checking the government to benefit their own interests which can short-circuit the democratic process
Paragraph 1: closing line
Thus, while interest groups can, via filling robust evidence place the government’s propositions to account, their overall benefit to democracy is negligible as they can exploit this power of checking the government to serve their own interests
Paragraph 2: topic sentence
It could be argued that pressure groups are good for democracy as they encourage greater political participation by giving citizens opportunities to engage in activism, join campaigns and voice their opinions on issues they care about.
Paragraph 2: point 1
-great for democracy as they promote the interests of the wider public
-the institute for fiscal studies and tax policy reform advocate reforms to personal income tax and national insurance contributions voicing the concerns of a plethora of corporations and companies
-the Tax by Design 2010, led by Sir James Mirrlees, highlights the flaws in the UK’s tax framework and proposed reforms aimed at creating a fairer and more efficient system
-this gained traction where among policymakers, their points had a focal point of discussions in the treasury and parliamentary committees
-most notably, Rishi Sunak in 2022, citing key areas from the Tax by Design, announced a significant policy change whereby he aligned the NICs thresholds with the personal allowance for income tax
-this leads to more informed and engaged electorate as able through their participation, are able to make influential legislative changes
Paragraph 2: volta
However, a more convincing argument is that this benefit is overstated, as not all interest groups have equal access to platforms. This is because often the most influential participation of interest groups reflects the inherent inequalities that interest groups face: well-organised and better funded groups dominate the political conversation, while smaller or less-resourced groups struggle to make an impact
-ultimately leading to an uneven playing field in democratic participation
Paragraph 2: point 1 (counter)
-wealthier groups can gain privileged access to political figures via events such as the conservative party’s “leader’s group”, a dining club open to donors contributing at least £50,000 annually to the party.
-in this event, it grants well-funded interest groups undue influence over MPs and civil servants, often exploiting this access to “revolving doors”
-in 2023, healthcare entrepreneur Frank Hester donated £15 million to the conservative party, which enable him to attend the dining club where it facilitated direct interactions with top-tier political leaders
Paragraph 2: point 2 (counter)
-the Association of british insurers (ABI), representing the insurance industry, has significant financial resources- manages investments exceeding $1.6 trillion and contributes over £17.2 billion in taxes to the government- to engage in lobbying activities, allowing them to maintain a strong presence in policy discussions
Paragraph 2: point 3 (counter)
-the grassroots organisation, Fuel Poverty Action, operates on a shoestring budget which restricts the extent to which they can hire professional lobbyists and participate in the political process by coalescing with MPs.
-this potentially allows affluent individuals or organisations to exert greater influence over policy decisions compared to less wealthy groups granting an unequal edge of participation to wealthier interest groups
Paragraph 2: closing line
While pressure groups can enhance participation by engaging citizens in political issues, their impact is often unequal. Wealthier groups dominate through superior resources, overshadowing smaller, less affluent organisations. Thus limiting the scope of pressure groups’ benefit to democracy as interest groups’ opportunity to enhance participation in a democracy, favours the well-funded, undermining the principle of equal democratic engagement
Paragraph 3: topic sentence
It could be argued that interest groups are good for democracy because they can as the apparatus to represent specific interests and marginalised voices that might have otherwise been overlooked in the political process
Paragraph 3: point 1
-the Howard League for penal reform that is a registered charity in the UK undergoes direct lobbying with lawmakers and collaborates with police officers
-has high-profile campaign successes with improving the lives of a plethora of disadvantaged children in underdeveloped neighbourhoods.
-according to its data published in 2016, there has been a 59% reduction of the number of children’s arrests attributed to their advocacy of placing their issues in the forefront of political debates which are often overlooked or ignored
Paragraph 3: point 2
-the B5 Business Lobby Groups, which via their lobbying, economic research and public campaigns, represent the interest of a vast array of businesses from small enterprises to multinational corporations
-they were instrumental in securing energy relief packages for businesses during the energy crisis 2022-2023 as they convinced the government to introduce measures to cap energy prices, which significantly supported and represented the wishes of small businesses that would have been otherwise overlooked
-allow diverse groups to advocate for their needs and push for policy changes, which can enhance representation in a democracy, which can enhance pluralism and inclusivity in decision-making
Paragraph 3: volta
-however, a more convincing argument is that this benefit is overstated as many interest groups primarily represent narrow or self-serving interests rather that the broader public which via their use of disruptive methods to represent their specific interests might ultimately undermine the movements’ aims
Paragraph 3: point 1 (counter)
-Just Stop Oil, which in its attempts to represent the anxieties and concerns revolving around climate change via disruptive direct-action such as targeting landmarks like the National Gallery and Stone Hedge, they triggered a legislative backlash rather than a political victory
-this is because in response to the widespread disruption caused, the government passed the Public Order Act 2023 which expanded police powers to crack down on disruptive protests.
-the passage of this act not only captures that the government placed their concerns secondary to public order, but also shows how parliamentary sovereignty can make it increasingly difficult for interest groups to influence lawmakers in policies to enhance representation
Paragraph 3: point 2 (counter)
-some of those who took part in the 2010 student demonstrations against the increased university tuition fees were prosecuted for disorderly conduct
-while the basis of their argument to protest was sound, the manner to which they executed it taints its overall motive, and instead of enhancing representation of the younger population’s concerns in politics, they were confronted with a series of repercussions
Paragraph 3: point 3 (counter)
-members of Plane Stupid, wishing to demonstrate and represent the views of the perils of airport expansion, trespassed at Heathrow causing severe travel disruptions for a large number of people who do not share their similar viewpoints
Paragraph 3: closing line
Therefore, while interest groups are able to mobilise public opinion via their laser-focused advocacy to enhance representation, their ultimate benefit to democracy is negligible. This is because, through their efforts to voice specific interests, their disruptive actions in doing so undermines the supposed benefit of representing those views, and often than not it can backfire and create more disagreements than agreements with the particular stance.
