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A-Level Politics Paper 1 > Pressure Groups > Flashcards

Pressure Groups Flashcards

1
Q

Pressure Group

A

Group of like-minded people that aim to influence politics in order to achieve a particular goal. They seek to change policy through influencing public opinion, parliament and the government

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2
Q

What type of democracy are pressure groups crucial for and why?

A

Pluralist democracy
* Because many different groups and sections of the population hold power to influence politics
* Pressure groups allow these people to campaign for issues that affect them either directly or indirectly

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3
Q

Give 3 reasons why people join pressure groups?

A
  1. Often funded by memberships - Can make people psychologically feel like they will benefit from the activities of the group
  2. Because they feel strongly about an issue and want to be involved in change
  3. They have something to gain from joining, (Ex: Joining a trade union can ensure job protection)
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4
Q

Causal group

A
  • Groups that are focused on achieving a particular goal or drawing attention to a particular issue
  • Membership is available to anyone who supports issue
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5
Q

What are the 3 sub-categories of causal groups?

A
  • Attitude causal groups
  • Political cause groups
  • Sectional cause groups
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6
Q

Attitude casual group

A

A causal groups which aims to change people’s attitudes towards an issue

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7
Q

Political cause group

A

A causal group which aims to achieve a political goal

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8
Q

Sectional cause group

A

A causal group which aims to protect a section of society which differs from it’s own membership

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9
Q

Give an example of a sectional cause group.

A

The Child Poverty Action Group campaigns on behalf of children and those in poverty, despite their members not being children or those in poverty

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10
Q

Sectional Group

A

Group that promotes the interests of a particular group in society, (Ex: Trade unions represent their members in negotiations with employers over wages)

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11
Q

Are memberships to sectional pressure groups normally restricted? And if so, by what?

Use an example

A
  • Membership is normally restricted - Qualifications are needed to qualify
  • Ex: Only qualified teachers can join the National Union of Teachers
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12
Q

Give 2 examples of sectional groups.

A
  • British Medical Association, (BMA)
  • National Farmers Union, (NFU)
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13
Q

Social movements

A

Similar to causal groups, except, they are more loosely structured. These movements are usually considered politically radical.

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14
Q

Why might people take part in social movements?

A
  • Because they are members of other pressure groups, that raise awarness for the same, (or a similar), issue
  • Because they are motivated by a specific issue
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15
Q

Give an example of a famous social movement.

A

Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the summer of 2020

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16
Q

Outline the BLM demonstrations in the summer of 2020.

A
  • BLM social movement began in 2013
  • Brought to the attention of the media in 2020, after George Floyd was brutaly murdered by a white police offier following an arrest
  • An estimated 15-26 million American’s were involved in this movement, making it one of the largest in US history
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17
Q

Can a group be both a sectional and a cause group? If so, give an example

A

Yes
The British Medical Association is a sectional group whose main purpose is to protect the interests of doctors, however, it can also be thought of as a cause group, regarding issues affecting public health

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18
Q

Insider group

A

A group which relies on consultation from the government, ministers and civil servants in order to achieve it’s aims

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19
Q

Give an example of an insider group.

A

National Farmers Union

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20
Q

When was the NFU founded?

A

1908

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21
Q

How many members does the NFU have?

A

55,000

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22
Q

Give 2 arguments for why insider pressure groups have a significant impact on Government Decisions.

A
  1. They exert influence on UK politics through the close contacts they have with ministers, government departments and civil servants
  2. Due to expertise, insider groups are sometimes able to breif the government on issues of concern and play a key role in drafting legislation, or giving evidence to select committees
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23
Q

Give an example which shows how the contacts of an insider group can impact Government decisions.

A
  • In 2013, the NFU exercised their contacts with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Helped to convince the coalition government support a badger cull to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis in farm animals
  • Despite outsider pressure groups supporting animal wellfare, opposing the cull and gaining significant public support

Insider pressure groups close contact with DEFRA overuled public support of outsider pressure group against badger cull

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24
Q

Give an example which shows how insider groups can help to draft legislation, thus impacting Government decisions.

A

Stonewall - equalling the age of consent for both straight and gay citizens to 16 years old in 2000

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25
Q

Do pressure groups seek political office?

A

No

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26
Q

Why have social movements become more frequent and popular in recent decades?

A

The emergence and popularity of social media
* This is because it is now easier to both promote the movement to a large audience and organise a large group of people

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27
Q

Are the views of insider pressure groups mostly alligned with the views of the Government?

A

Yes

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28
Q

Do insider groups seek to be more high or low profile?

A

It depends on the particular group and what methods they use

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29
Q

Give an example of a low profile insider group who do more discreet work behind the scenes?

A

The Howard League for Penal Reform

30
Q

What does the insider group: Howard League for Penal Reform do?

A

Discreetly lobby for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison

31
Q

Give an example of an insider group who seeks to have a more high-profile?

A

Confederation of British Industry

32
Q

Why would an insider group seek to have a more high-profile?

A

To support their lobbying with media support, allowing them to further make their case

33
Q

Outsider group

A

Pressure groups with often radical objectives who are not consulted by the government

34
Q

Why might a government be unlikely to consult with an outsider group?

A

Because their ideas are politically radical and deviate from the political mainstream

35
Q

Why would an outsider group not want to consult with the Government?

A

Because they feel that by talking to the government they may taint their reputation and ideological purity

36
Q

Give an example of a pressure group, who didn’t want to consult with the government + state why they didn’t want to.

A
  • Anti-capitalist movement ‘occupy london’ saw the 2011 government as closely alligned to the capitalist movement they were protesting against
  • They did not want to consult with the government, as they did not want to jeporadise their ideological purity
37
Q

Give an example of an Occupy London protest?

A

In late 2011, 500 members camped on the steps of St. Pauls Cathedral

38
Q

How can groups switch from being insider groups to outsider groups and vice versa?

A
  • Due to changes in political circumstances and the political leanings of the party in power
  • (So, a change in Government could result in an insider group becoming an outsider group, as their views no longer allign with the government)
39
Q

Outline how trade unions went from enjoying insider status to becoming an outsider group.

A
  • In the post-war era, trade unions enjoyed the benefits of being insider-groups, especially under Labour’s government
  • However, when Thatcher came into power in 1979, union leaders and groups as a whole were dilerately exculded from power and made an enemy of the people
  • They then became outsider groups
40
Q

What are the main methods of outsider groups?

A
  1. The usage of social media and social media campaigns - (This could involve staging publicity stunts, the use of pettitions and more)
  2. If you are a well-funded pressure group then you could challenge legislation in the High Court
  3. Trade unions = Workers in a particular industry may go on strike
41
Q

Give an example of a time when a well-funded pressure group challenged a peice of legislation in the High Court.

A
  • In 2004 the outsider group ‘The Countryside Alliance’ took its case against the banning of fox hunting to the High Court
  • But ultimately failed
42
Q

Are trade unions typically insider or outsider groups?

A

Outsider groups

43
Q

When was the BMA founded?

A

1832

44
Q

What type of group is the BMA?

A

Sectional group

However, it can also be seen as a cause group, due to the fact that it raises awarness for issues that are of concern to public health

45
Q

What is the main purpose of the BMA?

A

To protect the interests of doctors

46
Q

Outline the BMA case study relating to smoking.

A
  • Originally campaigned for ban on smoking in cars, regardless of whether passengers were present
  • Due to limited public support, they settled for banning on smoking in cars carrying children
  • BMA first made their case in 2011, arguing that passive smoke is particularly harmful in small and confined spaces
  • BMA used online technology to allow supporters to lobby MPs
  • This support caused the 2014 Children and Families Bill to be amended
  • Ban was inforced in 2015
47
Q

What does the BMA case study tell us that pressure groups need to do in order to be successful?

A
  • Setting attainable and realistic
  • Target the appropriate access points of the UK political system
  • Focus on gaining the support of the public and the government
48
Q

What does DEFRA stand for?

A

Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

49
Q

Outline an example of the NFU having particular success in influencing the government.

A
  • In 2013, the NFU exercised their contacts with DEFRA
  • Convinced the coalition government support a badger cull to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis in farm animals
50
Q

In 2013, the NFU had sucess in convincing the government to support a badger cull, despite protesting from outsider animal rights groups. What can we infer from this?

A

Insider methods, including close contacts with governmental departments, can be more pursuasive in shaping government legislation and helping them formulate decisions than outsider groups

51
Q

What are the main methods of insider groups?

A
  1. Lobby the government for support and negotiate behind the scenes
  2. Could also be given opportunity to give specialist advice or help draft legislation
  3. Giving evidence to select committees
52
Q

What are the main methods of outsider groups?

A
  1. Celebrity endorsements
  2. Publicity stunts
  3. Social media
  4. Civil disobedience
  5. Demonstrations and marches
53
Q

Direct action

A

This refers to when the population are actively involved in Politics, rather than using representatives to act on their behalf

54
Q

Give an example of some direct action methods?

A
  • Demonstrations and marches
  • Trade unions could go on strike
55
Q

Give an example of a time where celebrity indorsement helped an outsider group influence the government.

A
  • In 2020, Marcus Rashford teamed up with Fairshare and put significant public pressure on the government to reverse its decision not to extend free school meals to the summer holiday
  • Through the use of open letters, e-pettitions and his social media account, a social movement was generated which gained major public support
  • His campaign was successful, with the government reversing its decision in June of 2020
56
Q

When was Just Stop Oil founded?

A

2022

57
Q

What type of group is Just Stop Oil?

A

Outsider cause group

58
Q

Have Just Stop Oil encouraged any government policy change?

A

No

59
Q

Give an example of how groups can fail to gain public support and actually end up causing the public irritation and problems.

A
  • In 2023, Mr Darlington, (a retired American lawyer), shot two climate protestors dead in Panama who were blocking a highway
  • This shows how sometimes civil disobedience can aim to raise public support but could actually lead to irritating the public, potentially putting them off supporting your cause
60
Q

Give 3 examples of Just Stop Oil protests.

A
  1. During Wimbeldon 2023, protestors entered court No.18 and threw confetti and jigsaw peices onto the court
  2. During an Arsenal vs Liverpool Premier League game at the Emirates stadium, a protestor locked themselves to the goalpost
  3. Protestors ruined a garden at the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show by throwing orange powder over it
61
Q

Why can it be difficult to gauge the success of insider pressure groups?

A
  • They often don’t boast about their success
  • The government makes the final decision about policy, (etc…), and is unlikely to admit to have been influenced into the decision that they have made
62
Q

Why can it be difficult to gauge the success of outsider groups?

A
  • Their aims and objectives can be so large, that it may take years of building public and political support for years before achieving their aims - This could mean people think they are being unsuccessful in the short run
  • For some outsider groups, gaining publicity or promoting a cause is enough of a success, even without influencing the government
63
Q

What are the 4 main factors which influence the success of pressure groups?

A
  • Resources
  • Stratgey and leadership
  • Public support
  • Government attitudes
64
Q

Outline how having access to resources can make a pressure group successful.

A
  • A large pressure group funded by subscriptions, means the group should have vast financial resources
  • This means that they can employ perminant staff, who can help to organise publicity
  • The size of the pressure group is also important in persuading the government that their views reflect a large proportion of the population
65
Q

Give an example of why having the resources to hire workers can be beneficial.

A
  • The RSPCA employs around 1,600 people and is supported by 1,000s of volunteers
  • They also have enough financial resources to spend money on advertising
  • This group have been successful and were responsible for extending the maximum sentence under the Animal Wellfare Act from 6 months to 5 years
66
Q

What does RSPCA stand for?

A

The Royal Society for the Prevetion of Curelty to Animals

67
Q

What type of group is RSPCA?

A

A cause group, who are also a charity

68
Q

Give an example of a bit of policy that the RSPCA successfully promoted, which is now implemented.

A

They were responsible for extending the maximum sentence under the Animal Wellfare Act from 6 months to 5 years

69
Q

Give an example of a time when a large pressure group, having a magnitude of public support, wasn’t enough to persuade the government.

A
  • In the 1980s, the Nucleur Disarmament campaign had an estimated of 110,000 members
  • However, Thatcher’s Government felt they could ignore the large group and their demonstrations, as they felt that the group didn’t have the support of the majority of the population
70
Q
A

A-Level Politics Paper 1 (6 decks)

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