Paper 1: Pressure Groups Flashcards
What is a pressure group?
Association can be formal or informal whose function is to promote a cause by influencing govt. or the public
Do not seek political power
What is a sectional pressure group?
Represents a specific section of society, also known as an interest group, has different causes
Tend to have closed membership
What is a promotional pressure group?
Seeks to promote cause rather than interests of own members, don’t have specific group or members but rather have specific issues
Also know as cause group or issue group
What is a dual-function pressure group?
Can be both sectional and promote certain issue
What is an insider pressure group?
They often operate inside the political system through contact with ministers, MPs etc.
Regularly meet with govt. and MPs use it as a way to scrutinise proposed legislation
Have succeeded in being part of the decision making process
What is an outsider pressure group?
Have no special links with govt. but seek to influence decision making by mobilising public support
Can commit acts of civil disobedience because not an insider group
Examples of sectional groups
Taxpayer’s Alliance
National Farmer’s Union
NUT
Example of promotional groups
Occupy movement
Examples of dual-function groups
Countryside Alliance as it represents the people of the countryside but campaigns for a better quality of life in the countryside
Examples of insider groups
British Medical Association
Confederation of British Industry
Examples of outsider groups
Greenpeace
What are some methods of lobbying and which types of pressure groups do so?
Sending letters, making presentations, organising rallies, meeting with MPs
Not just insider groups that lobby, outsider groups do too
Pressure groups and MPs
Some groups pay retaining fees to MPs so they ill raise concerns on HofC, MP must declare if they are speaking on behalf of a pressure group and if they’ve received any payment
What is the UK Public Affairs Council?
Set up in 2010 to try to regulate the access professional lobbyists have to the govt., designed to increases transparency of the system
Example where MP is committed to work of pressure groups
2008 Fertilisation and Embryology Bill proposed reducing abortion from 24 to 20 weeks and was supported by Tory MP Nadine Dorries and group Live and Kicking
What is an Access Point?
Different channels through which PG can assert their influence in the UK
Access points include: Westminster, devolved assemblies, EU, social media platforms
Functions of pressure groups: G
Governing process- key part in policy + decision making
Functions of pressure groups: R
Representative- represents interests or sections of the public
Functions of pressure groups: E
Educational- educate and inform the public on political issues
Functions of pressure groups: A
Amendments- scrutinise and amend legislation to improve it
Functions of pressure groups: T
Tension release- outlet for people to express their feelings
Functions of pressure groups: P
Political participation- less intensive than political parties
Reasons for pressure group success: Opposition
Or lack of as if little opposition then more ppl will support the cause
e.g black lives matter because if you don’t support this you’d be looked down upon
Reasons for pressure group success: Aims
If has strong and realistic aims then support more likely which means success
e.g BMA
Reasons for pressure group success: Size
More members = more popular
e.g Greenpeace which has 2.9 million members worldwide
Reasons for pressure group success: Finance
Well financed = resources for advertising/campaigning which is crucial for success
Reasons for pressure group success: Celebrities
Have ability to influence + promote through social media which increases success
Reasons for pressure group success: Insider status
Means there’s a greater chance of what you want happening
Reasons for pressure group success: Organisation
More likely to be successful if organised as gonna get stuff done
Why do some pressure groups fail?
Cheque book membership- peoples join for material benefits
‘Slacktivism’ - only superficial engagement e.g online
Small membership- makes it difficult to organise public demonstrations
Outsider status- much more difficult to gain access to people in power
Unsympathetic govt.
What is a New Social Movement (NSM)?
Group that emerges quickly in response to a particular issue
Use mass demonstrations and media campaigns
Are temporary and informal
Examples of NSM
9/11 truth movement
Je Suis Charlie
Love Wins
Black Lives Matter
Alternative NSM
Provides alternatives to social norms e.g home schooling
Redemptive NSM
Focusses on ‘redeeming others’ new form of Christianity where they embrace different forms of religious behaviour
Reformist NSM
Wants to change society e.g American civil rights movement, 2nd wave feminism etc.
Revolutionary NSM
E.g communism or fascism, want to overthrow an existing political order and replace with new order
Ways which pressure groups enhance democracy:
Help to disperse power and influence more easily
They educate public about political issues and get people involved in politics
Can promote and protect rights of minorities
Can help to call govt. to account
Ways which pressure groups threaten democracy:
Some PGs are elitist and concentrate power in few hands
Influential PGs may distort info in their own interest
Groups that are wealthy may have disproportionate amount of influence
What is a think tank?
Organisation who researches into certain aspects of public policy, either financed by govt. or private sources and are used by decision makers to inform deliberation
May be neutral or not, may be single-issue and are self-funded
Examples of neutral think tanks
ResPublica- general policy issues
Chatham House- International affairs
Demos- current political issues
Example of ‘left-wing’ think tanks
Fabian Society- issues concerning social justice
Example of ‘right-wing’ think tanks
Adam Smith Institute- promoting free-market solutions to economic issues
Examples of ‘liberal’ think tanks
Liberty- concerns protection of human rights and liberties
Reform- concerns policies on welfare, public services and economic management
What is Greenpeace?
Non-governmental organisation that operates on international scale, founded in Canada in 1971 and now has 2.9 million members worldwide
What is Greenpeace’s aim?
'to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity' making it a causal group Specific campaigns inc: Climate change forests oceans agriculture toxic pollution nuclear
What methods do Greenpeace use?
Initially, relied on direct action to raise awareness but now increasingly uses insider methods to achieve its goals
Greenpeace success
2011 campaign to stop tuna fishing nets that can catch and kill other fish at the same time
This resulted all UK supermarkets saying they would stop buying tuna caught using unsustainable methods
Has since become a global movement
Greenpeace failures
2011 failure to prevent Cairn Energy from exploring gas reserved in Greenland this was down to:
methods that alienated population and turned them to Cairn Energy
Financial and political considerations of Greenland population which were more important to local population than environment
Lack of support from UN fro Greenpeace to do anything more that protest, despite insider status
Similarities and differences between think tanks and pressure groups
Both attempt to persuade govt. by adopting their policy goals
But think tanks, unlike many pressure groups, their methods rely on working with the govt. of the day or aligning themselves with a party instead of a populist campaign
What’s lobbying?
Process of meeting with key political figures and persuading them to support your aims
Professional lobbying firm who employ people who have access to key political figures
Doesn’t guarantee desired outcome but gives group adv.
In US lobbying is a $3.5 billion industry
What are corporations?
Work close with govt. to develop practical legislation
Look to exert pressure on those in charge to gain advantage, while this may be through lobbying, corporations also exert influence
What is the British Medical association (BMA)?
Formed in 1832 and was the idea of a forum where doctors could share medical knowledge with each other and examine it
