pressure groups Flashcards

1
Q

what are pressure groups

A

an association that can be formal or informal, who promote interests of a specific part of a society or promote a cause by influencing the gov

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2
Q

what is a promotional group

A

goal is to promote a particular cause or set of believes and values EG FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

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3
Q

what is a sectional group

A

aims to protect a specific section of society that is distinct from its own membership

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4
Q

what is an outsider

A

dont enjoy the special position within governing circles because they want to maintain independence from government or dont want to be seen too close to them

they dont need to behave in a responsible way, so often they use civil disobedience/ mass strikes or publicity stunts to get attention

EG GREEN SPACE
EG INSULATE BRITAIN

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5
Q

what is an insider

A

they have close links with the deision makers at all levels who can offer expert advice. they seek to become involved in the early staged of policy and law making
EG THE NATIONAL FARMERS UNION

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6
Q

what are the methods of pressure groups x 4

A

access points and lobbying - promoting causes and interests and seeking to have special relationships with councillors or MPs

making grants to political party - EG trade unions have financed the labour party for a long time to promote their interests to help influence policy… but it has miserably failed

public campaigning - mobilising public opinion to promote themselves EG mass demonstrations, e-petitions and celebrities eg GREEN SPACE aims to promote environmental issues and used civil disobedience such as destroying genetically modified crops and disrupting whaling

media campaigns

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7
Q

what are the 4 factors for success in pressure groups

A

size
finance
strategic position
public mood

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8
Q

Size

A

more supporters means that it can have more pressure on decision makers
EG AGE UK has had a lot of support because they are campaigning on behalf of the elderly - because they make up such a large proportion of the community, AND older people vote more… politicians listen, making this pressure group more successful

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9
Q

finance

A

wealthy groups can afford expensive campaigns, employ lobbyists, sponsor political parties and get favourable publicity
eg trade unions giving giving money to labour didnt have much impact on favourable legislation

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10
Q

strategic position

A

companies and groups have vital leverage because they are crucial to the economy
EG teachers/emergency services
They risk loosing this position tho if they overuse it
EG Railway workers striking, led by Mike Lynch, striking very often in 2022+2023 over wages - including over christmas which made people very frustrated and loose support for the… the gov offered a 4% increase but RMT rejected it because they want 7%

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11
Q

public mood

A

success over gay marriage was largely due to changes in public attitudes towards ‘alternative’ forms of sexuality

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12
Q

what are failure factors for pressure groups

A

too small, too little funds
unsympathetic gov
powerful opposing groups

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13
Q

too small, too little funds

A

groups that have recently emerged and only effect a small number of people.
hyperpluralism : rapid growth in numbers of groups in modern democracy which makes it difficult for gov because there are so many individual needs to be met

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14
Q

unsympathetic gov

A

conservatives are unsympathetic to trade unions eg thatcher with the miners

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15
Q

powerful opposing groups

A

eg Forest (a pro smoking campaign group) has been regularly defeated by the anti-smoking lobby group because they had the public opinion and govs backing eg ASH are an anit-smoking group

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16
Q

friends of the earth

A

aim: want to secure a safe climate with flourishing nature and healthy air for the next generation

successes- heathrow third runway ruled ‘illegal’: the gov acted illegally in plans to expand heathrow by not considering the paris agreement
Friends of the earth won the right to appeal and the plans were postponed. Heathrow is already one of the largest sources of emissions in the uk

17
Q

what do think tanks do

A

research into various aspects of public policy
financed by either the gov or private sources of both
used to inform decision makers on policy
can be neutral/left or right wing

18
Q

an example of a left leaning think tank

A

fabian society
discuss issues concerning social justice amd equality and work closely with labour
stand for active democracy and human rights

19
Q

an example of a neutral think tank

A

Catham House
they analyse major global political events and strive to improve the world for future generations
eg helped global financial stability after ww2
eg influences chinas establishment of low carbon emissions