pressure groups Flashcards
1
Q
what are insider groups?
A
- consulted by the govt - insider status
- law abiding, good public image, trust with govt
2
Q
what are outside groups?
A
- not consulted by govt - try to influence political decision making from outside
- some work towards insider - others opposed to govt + happy to remain
3
Q
what are the aims of the british medical association? what is the membership and methods?
A
- doctor’s trade union - improve pay + conditions
- lobbies govt for improvements to healthcare (ex sugar tax on drinks)
- 160k doctors + med students
- briefs MPs on health policy, meets with ministers + responds to consultations
- organised first full strike in 2016 due to changes to junior doctors’ contract
4
Q
what are the successes of the BMA?
A
- april 2018 - sugar tax desired came true
- campaigned for a smoking ban - achieved in 2007
5
Q
what are the failures of the BMA?
A
- cancelled plans for strike after jnr doctors complained no time to prepare
6
Q
what are the aims of green peace? what is the membership and methods?
A
- stated ‘ensure ability of earth to nurture life’ - casual group
- 3 million worldwide, 130k in UK
- initially relied on direct action campaigns - shutting down a coal-fired power station 2007
- patrols sea - intercepting + challenging whalers, nuclear testers + illegal fishers
- investigates destruction
- recently using insider methods
7
Q
what are the successes of greenpeace?
A
- campaign against microbeads succeeded in 207
- 2017 conservative govt announced plans for lower carbon economy
- campaigned against shell - arctic drilling - included convincing lego to refuse working with them - 2015 shell announced would no longer drill
8
Q
what are the failures of greenpeace?
A
- 2011-12 failed to prevent cairn energy from exploring gas reserves in greenland
- 2016 - more than 100 nobel laureates signed a letter criticising greenpeace for campaign against GMO’s - claims of anti-science
- some methods criticised to alienate
9
Q
what are the methods used by pressure groups?
A
- lobby
- civil disobedience
- research + publish reports - awareness + education
- give evidence at hearings - public consultations, legislative committees, + select committees hold hearings to help determine decision/action
10
Q
what is a promotional group?
A
altruistic - no connection
11
Q
what is an interest group?
A
defend interests of particular group in society
12
Q
what are the three reasons for a pressure groups success?
A
- insider status - can influence ministers - close links - case study
- wealth - financial resources allow to pay for things that may help promote cause - 2012 - british bankers’ association paid lobbyists to persuade ministers to cut corporation tax + taxes on banks’ overseas subsidiaries
- celebrity endorsement - popular celebrity will generate press interest + raise profile of cause - may help draw members to group - 2009 joanna lumley + gurkha justice campaign secured equal rights for british + commonwealth soldiers - prev spent 4 years trying to persuade blair + brown govts to give equal rights to all gurkhas (nepalese soldiers who serve in british army)
13
Q
what are three reasons for a pressure groups failure?
A
- goal contradicts a govt policy - if determined to follow a particular policy - difficult for pressure group to persuade - ex, conservative govt determined to introduce policy for 7-day NHS - BMA campaign against failed
- govt can resist pressure from group - if those in power strong enough - able to resist + ignore - stop the war organised mass rallies to stop invasion of iraq 2003 - but with large majority + cross-party support - blair govt able to resist
- countervailing forces - may find itself competing with another, power powerful + popular pressure group which ‘wins’ - pro-smoking group forrest failed to prevent restrictions on smoking in UK - largely because lost out to group ASH - successfully campaigned for restrictions
14
Q
how can relationship with media influence pressure groups?
A
- most groups aim to attract publicity
- can put pressure on politicians - ex snowdrop campaign
- media criticism also helps govt justify ignoring - newspaper criticised BMA jnr strike
15
Q
what are other influences on government and parliament?
A
- think-tanks
- lobbyists
- corporations
- media
16
Q
what are think-tanks?
A
- exist purely to develop + formulate new policies
- funded privately by individuals, groups/businesses
- some clear position on political spectrum others neutral
- do not campaign for political parties - aim to convince them/govt to adopt their policies
17
Q
what are lobbyists?
A
- political operatives who are paid to influence the government
- usually employed by wealthy pressure groups/corporations
- arrange meetings with influential politicians + try to convince them to support aims of their employer
18
Q
what are corporations?
A
- often work closely with govt in order to develop practical legislation which is relevant to their business
- they lobby the govt for favourable conditions of business (lower taxes ex)
- may threaten to relocate if govt doesn’t meet demands
- many owners of large companies make donations to political parties - particularly tory
- many corporations fund think-tanks that support their aims
19
Q
what is the medias influence?
A
- govt scrutinised
- govt ministers often have personal links with key figures in media - david cameron + rebekah brooks (former editor of the sun) revealed
- support from newspapers can help govt win elections + increase enthusiasm for policies
20
Q
what is political agenda? what are three ways in which pressure groups can influence it?
A
- most important political issues of the day + can be determined by the public/media rather than govt
- celebrity endorsement
- criticism
- civil disobedience (extinction rebellion - a number of sit-down protests - disturbed many counties (ex essex)
21
Q
what are three lobbying scandals?
A
- In 2009 two Labour peers suspended - said they would help to amend a bill going through parliament in return for a fee - barred from the Lords for 6 months
- In 2012 Cruddas told would-be party donors that a sum of more than £200,000 would grant them direct access at social events to the then prime minister and the chancellor
- Three former Labour ministers 2010 lost parliamentary passes - reporter claimed to be from lobbying firm - Byers described himself as being like a “cab for hire” - Hoon told the reporter he wanted to use his connections for something that “bluntly, makes money” -
22
Q
example of a corporation helping to produce legislation relevant to their business?
A
institute of economic affairs opposed plain cigarette packaging + received fundings from british american tobacco
23
Q
how do pressure groups help democracy?
A
- provide popular forums for campaigning + active political participation - stop the war coalition - mass rallies in 2003 against iraq war - 1 million people - largest ever political demonstration
- The pluralist interpretation is that pressure groups are an essential part of democracy as they allow different sections of society to have their views heard by government
- increasingly have structures that are internally democratic - ex trade unions have regulated secret ballots for internal positions + when they want to take industrial action (many PG that are also charities subject to regulation by charity commission ( can investigate financial irregularities/ conflict of interest)) - how can it hinder democracy when mirrors
24
Q
how do pressure groups hinder democracy?
A
- some do not have internally democratic structures - some dominated by a few powerful/charismatic individuals + disagreements can lead to split - ex, extinction rebellion + setting up of a more radical beyond politics party 2020
- unlike democratic political parties - not accountable to electorate - beyond politics party’s civil disobedience - sainsbury’s food haul contrary to rule of law (respect + enable to work properly)
- The elitist interpretation is that pressure groups are undemocratic: they give a louder voice to the most powerful. Rich, educated - wealth - british bankers + celebrity endorsement - others have to resort to undemocratic civil disobedience (not everyone has a true voice - comes at a cost)
