Pressure Groups Flashcards
What are the main functions of a Pressure group?
-Influence policy-making and decision
-Getting their concerns high up the Political agenda
What tactics can Pressure Groups be seen to use?
-Discreet lobbying
-High-Profile methods
What is the political agenda?
-Issues that are the subject of decision-making and debate by those with political power
-Agenda varies due to time and circumstances
What does Win Grant suggest about pressure Groups?
-Can’t categorise PG by aims but instead by status
What do Pressure groups offer?
-Opportunities for political representation and participation
What does status mean in relation to PGs?
-Relationship with govt
-How close are they to the corridors of power
What are the main categories of Pressure groups?
-Their status to the political establishment > Insider and Outsider groups
-Purpose of their campaign > Interest groups and Promotional groups
What is an insider group?
-Close ties and contacts with the govt
-Often represent powerful and well-resourced groups (Business or industry)
-Often offer specialist knowledge and insights that can be useful for drawing up legislation
What is an Outsider group?
-Lack of strong ties and established links with govt
-Often represent more marginalised or radical policy agendas
-frequently use direct action to establish their aims
What is an interest group?
-Primarily exist to defend and advance the specific interests of their members (trade unions)
-Be defined as more selfish in their aims
What is a promotional group?
-Set out to achieve a set of aims that aren’t in the direct interest of their members
-Causes such as human rights
-More selfless in their principles > often based on ethics and principles
what are the sub-categories of insider groups?
-Core insiders
-Specialist insiders
-Peripheral insiders
-Prisoner groups
-Policy communities
-Policy networks
What are Core insider groups?
-Groups that have long-standing bilateral relationships with policy-makers over a broad range of issues
-NFU etc
What are Specialist insiders?
-Groups with insider status > only a small specialist area that their knowledge is needed
-Etc Poultry Federation
What are Peripheral insiders?
-Insider status > rarely needed by govt due to the nature of their interest/cause
-Etc SANDS
What are Policy Communities?
-Core Insiders
What are the advantages and disadvantages of an insider’s group’s Proximity to govt?
-Advantage > Good channels of communication with govt - enables informal lobbying which ensures their views are incorporated
-Disadvantage > ‘Policy entrapment’ - unwillingness to criticise or speak out against the political establishment - diminish groups independence
What are Policy Networks?
-Insiders but not at the centre of power
-Still an elite group