Pressure group Roles & Group Classification

Question 1

What are pressure groups?

Answer 1

pressure groups are like minded individuals who campaign for their collective interests and/or in pursuit of a common cause

Question 2

Why are pressure groups significantly more numerous than political parties ?

Answer 2

because they have a tendency to fragment opinion whereas political parties tend to aggregate and accommodate a wider range of views in effort to be elected

Question 3

In recent years, what pressure groups have become more popular over the larger more traditional sectional and cause groups ?

Answer 3

smaller, more focused single-issue groups

Question 4

Who do single-issue groups look to represent?

Answer 4

the interests of a very small group of individuals

Question 5

What is an example of a single issue cause which is focused on the limited breadth and time?

Answer 5

single issue groups focused on the efforts prevent specific construction projects such as a road or runway

Question 6

What do some people describe the rise of single issue politics as?

Answer 6

as a fundamental change in the nature of political participation within the UK

Question 7

What are the 3 roles of a pressure group ?

Answer 7

1) Participation
2) Representation
3) Education

Question 8

How do pressure groups perform the role of participation?

Answer 8

pressure groups provide people with an avenue for non-electoral participation between elections.
They encourage and enable citizens to get involved in the political process

Question 9

How do pressure groups perform the role of representation

Answer 9

pressure groups represent their members’ sectional interests or advance a common cause , by aggregating and articulating the common interests/concerns of a given groups of individuals

Question 10

How do pressure groups perform the role of education?

Answer 10

pressure groups act as a source of specialist knowledge. They help governments weigh up the merits and demerits of proposed policies.
Their activities serve to educate the broader public, raising awareness of their chosen cause or interest.

Question 11

Why is the role of education by pressure groups na advantage for the government ?

Answer 11

They help governments weigh up the merits and demerits of proposed policies, thereby avoiding costly mistakes and unnecessary confrontation.

Question 12

What are sectional groups?

Answer 12

These groups seek to protect the interests of a particular section of society, can be refereed to as ‘interest’ or ‘protectionist’ groups

Question 13

Describe the membership of sectional groups?

Answer 13

membership is normally exclusive, restricted to the section of society whose interests they serve

Question 14

Give an example of a teachers union?

Answer 14

NASUWT

Question 15

Who do the teachers union NASUWT represent as a sectional group ?

Answer 15

will represent the interests of its members who will be practising teachers

Question 16

What are cause groups?

Answer 16

These groups seek to promote a particular cause, also known as ‘promotional’ groups

Question 17

Describe the membership of cause groups

Answer 17

they seek a broader membership than sectional groups and do not necessary stand to benefit directly from their campaigns

Question 18

What are the 3 sub categories of Cause groups?

Answer 18

• Attitude cause groups
• Political cause groups
• sectional cause groups

Question 19

What are the aims of attitude cause groups?

Answer 19

their aim is to change peoples attitudes on a particular issue

Question 20

What is an example of an attitude cause group?

Answer 20

Greenpeace who seek to change attitudes on the environment

Question 21

What are the aims of political cause groups?

Answer 21

their aim is to achieve certain political goals

Question 22

What is an example of a political cause group ?

Answer 22

Charter 88

Question 23

What are the aims of sectional cause groups?

Answer 23

their aim is to protect a section of society

Question 24

What is an example of a sectional cause group?

Answer 24

the NSPCC who works on behalf of children but its members and supporters are not all children

Question 25

What is a problem with classifying groups by aims?

Answer 25

this ignores the fact that many groups campaign for a cause as well as representing the interests of their members

Question 26

How do teachers unions count as hybrids?

Answer 26

they would claim to be working for broader improvements in education policy as well as representing the sectional interests of their members

Question 27

Who created the Protective/Sectional and Promotional/Cause group classifications ?

Answer 27

Stewart 1958

Question 28

Who created the Insider and Outside group classification?

Answer 28

Wyn Grant 1980’s

Question 29

What are the 3 types of insider groups?

Answer 29

• Core insiders
• Specialist insiders
• Peripheral insiders

Question 30

Who are core insiders ?

Answer 30

those that have a strong 2 way relationship with policy makers over a broad range of issues

Question 31

Give 2 examples of insider groups?

Answer 31

• BMA (had been)
• NFU
• RSPB

Question 32

Who are specialist insiders?

Answer 32

those who are granted inter status with a more narrow area of expertise

Question 33

Give an example of a specialist insider?

Answer 33

-WWF

Question 34

Who are peripheral insiders?

Answer 34

those who have insider status but are only rarely needed by government due to the nature of their interest/cause

Question 35

Give an example of a peripheral insider ?

Answer 35

Dogs Trust

Question 36

Name the 3 types of outsider groups ?

Answer 36

• Potential insiders
• Outsiders by necessity
• Ideological outsiders

Question 37

Who are potential insiders?

Answer 37

those who are outside due to the nature of their case or inexperience

Question 38

Who are an example of potential insiders?

Answer 38

-Charter 88 before 1997

Question 39

Who are outsiders by necessity?

Answer 39

those who are unlikely to achieve high status and must work outside the government

Question 40

Who are example of outsiders by necessity ?

Answer 40

• CND

- Father4Justice

Question 41

Who are ideological outsiders?

Answer 41

Those who prefer to remain outside the system

Question 42

Who are an example of an Ideological outsider?

Answer 42

Amnesty International

Question 43

What is an advantage of classification through insider/outsider status?

Answer 43

helpful in assessing the likelihood of a group achieving its central aims

Question 44

Name 2 problems with the insider/outsider status ?

Answer 44

• Some groups can operate to an extent as both insiders and outsiders
• status can depend on present Government

Question 45

What pressure group is an example of when status depends on present government?

Answer 45

Charter 88 was outside the political loop before 1997 general election but assumed more influence following Labour’s victory