pressure groups Flashcards
define pressure group
- organisations that attempt to influence public policy on a single issue or range of related issues
what do sectional/interest/protective pressure groups do?
- aim to protect the interest of their membership e.g. trade unions
- tend to be well-resourced and well-staffed. They carry clout with government as they represent a substantial section of the population
- e.g. BMA (british medical association) stands up mainly for young doctor’s rights
what do cause/promotional/issue pressure groups aim to do?
- promote a particular idea or cause (animal welfare, relief of child poverty)
- some are long lasting, some appear and disappear within a short time
- few/little full time staff, heavily rely on volunteers and lack resources
- emotional campaigns can be effective in influencing government and the public
corporatist model
- idea pressure groups strengthen democracy best when they are formally incorporated into the decision making process
pluralist model
- idea pressure groups strengthen democracy best when they act as a check on governmental power
cause pressure groups
- promote a particular cause or objective
- membership is unlimited
sectional pressure groups
- promote the interests of a particular section of society
- membership tends therefore to be limited
insider pressure groups
- groups that government respects because they abide by the ‘rules of the game’
- have strong links with decision makers and are regularly consulted
internal insider groups and examples
- very close links to the government
- gov will always approach them with relevant policies for their opinion
- cause: Anti-Smoking (ASH), National Trust, Law society
- sectional: BMA
external insider pressure groups and examples
- have formal links to the government, but their status us not so secure, their influence at a governmental level tends to change depending on the party in power
- high profile cause: WWF, Oxfam
- sectional external insider: NEU (national education union), Stonewall and CBI
outsider pressure groups
- work outside the governmental decision making process ad therefore have fewer opportunities to determine the direction of policy
unwilling outsider groups and examples
- pressure groups would like to be insiders, but the gov does not give them this status because they do not believe their cause is just/important enough
- cause: unite against facism
- sectional: fathers for justice, NFU
willing outsider groups and examples
- regard parliamentary procedures with disdain and feel that they would lose credibility by entering into negotiations with the government
- they prefer to put pressure on the system from the outside
differences between insider and outsider groups
- insiders are inside government whereas outsiders are outside of government influence
- insiders have access to policy makers whereas outsiders don’t/have limited access
- insiders are often low profile whereas outsiders are high profile
- insiders have main stream goals whereas outsiders have radical goals
- insiders have strong leadership whereas outsiders have strong grassroots
policy community
- small, stable groups of pressure group representatives and public officials who are in close contact with and agree on many main issues in particular policy area
policy network
- are larger, more loosely knit, and have more conflicting sets of interest formed around particular policy areas
think tanks
‘a research institute or other organisation providing advice and ideas on national or commercial problems’
- criticised as unelected and are unsure where funding comes from. Essentially a political party and not an academic group but are consulted during policy making
dark money
money where it’s source is unclear
two lobbying companies examples
- burnson-martseller = former tory minister andrew mckay joined as an international consultant in 2010
- political lobbying and media relations = lobbying firm, clients such as sky, charities and universities. campaigned for standardised cigarette packets on behalf of cancer research UK
examples of lack of participation in political parties (quotes and percentages)
- ‘i trust govs most of the time’
1986 = 38% agree
2014 = 17% agree
union member stats
1970s = over 13m members
2015 = around 6.4m members
five examples of think tanks
policy exchange = small gov think tank influential with conservatives
chatham house = a centre for policy research on international affairs
fabian society = affliated to labour party
demos = a leading cross-party think-tank with a mission to bring politics closer to people
resPublica = independent, non-partisan public policy think-tank
what is the gagging law
- transparency of lobbying, non-party campaigning and trade unions administration act 2014
- cut amount groups can spend influencing elections by 60%
- introduced ‘constituency spending limits’, campaign spending limits on constituencies of £9750
- broadens activities regulated by spending limits to include market research, public meetings, press events and transport costs
what were the arguments surrounding the gagging act?
- gov argued it wanted to prevent the wealthiest groups from having unfair levels of influence
- critics argued by cutting spending, law makes it harder for pressure groups to raise awareness and to inform voters of where each party and candidate stands
description of how outsider pressure groups appeal to the public to be influential
- use media
- social media and online campaigning
e.g. demos and BLM
description of how background campaigning can be used by outsider pressure groups to be influential
- educational campaigns designed to chnage public opinion
e.g. reduce reuse recycle or anti smoking
description of how outsider pressure groups can use short term campaigns to be influential
- can be a response to a crisis/emergency on a national scale
- protesting/campaigns for a suited response from government
e.g. firebrigade campaign, BLM
description of how direct action can be used by outsider pressure groups to be influential
- violent and peaceful protests
- boycotts
- strikes
- terrorism
- violence intends to compel government to change, seen as a last resort and an extreme method
- civil disobedience (illegal)
define direct action
‘action taken outside the constitutional and legal framework’
methods used by outsider groups
- appealing to the public
- background campaigns
- short term campaigns
- direct action
methods used by insider pressure groups
- influencing government
- influencing parliament
- influencing political parties
- using the courts
how do insider pressure groups influence government?
- through the elected party and cabinet
- can influence party policy and manifesto through lobbying
- can influence ministers and civil service through contributions to consultations or face-to-face meetings
how can insider pressure groups influence parliament?
- through house of lords and commons
- can influence MPs, backbenchers or through constituencies
- lobby MPs
- private members bills
- backbench committees
- lobby the house of lords
how can insider pressure groups influence political parties?
- can use party manifestos and policies to pressure group’s advantage
- attend party conferences
e.g. trade unions effective with labour
how can insider pressure groups use the courts to be influential?
- litigation = using money to influence court decisions
- judicial review, overturning previous court cases
- publicity from court case can change public opinion
- criminal justice and courts act 2015 made it more difficult for charities to use judical review
define litigation
using money to influence court decisions
name seven access points and the type of pressure group that would use them
ministers and civil servants = insiders
parliament = insiders
political parties = insiders
public opinion = outsiders
media = outsider/insider
direct action = outsider
the courts = insider/outsider
examples of outsider groups using public opinion to be influential
- poll tax 1990
- miners 1974
- winter of discontent 1978 to 1979
examples of outsider groups using direct action to be influential
- just stop oil
- greenham women’s peace camp 1980s
peter melchett’s ideas on direct action use
‘direct action doesn’t just highlight issues; it simplifies highly complex subjects’
des wilson’s ideas on direct action
‘direct action should be used sparingly’
- saying it creates further opposition to your cause
how effective is direct action?
- effective when successful in changing public opinion. e.g. poll tax
- usually fails, looses its moral superiority. e.g. just stop oil
- should be used sparingly
- simplifies highly complex subjects
what does success in pressure groups look like?
- influence on policy making
- gives an agenda
- changes public opinion
reasons for pressure group failure
- objectives are top extreme or out of the political climate (anti capitalist groups)
- lack of resources
- association with violence and disorder
- lack of links to government
- hostile political climate
- strong countervailing forces
example of failure in pressure group to be influential due to a hostile political climate
- stop the war coalition
- organised huge rallies against 2003 invasion of iraq
- blair gov had huge majority and PM personally supported invasion
- therefore pressure group unsuccessful as not in the governments/parliaments favour
realistically, what types of pressure groups will be successful?
- wealthy insider groups
- pressure groups with large memberships
what is the pluralist approach? (R Hague and M Harrop view)
- ‘a competition between a multitude of freely organised interest groups…as new interests emerge, groups form to represent them. In pluralism, politics is a competitive market with few barriers to entry’
what does David Truman say pressure groups are?
- a reflection of concerns of ordinary people and minorities
pluralist meaning
- belief that there is a political market place in which ideas can be traded and group activity can flourish
why are pressure groups important?
- role of the state has changed (prerogative powers), therefore more expertise is required as more interests are discussed
- growing complexity (development of science and technology), extra expertise is required
- rise of politics of identity (political groups go beyond economic status and now to the individual)
- new social movements (feminism, gay and civil rights)
why are pressure groups less important?
- trade union size and significance decreased
- tripartism
- can only influence, government makes final decision
- economy has moved from unionised manufacturing and heavy industry to a service-based economy - more self employed. Meaning new industries lack tradition of unionisation
define tripartism
form of cooporatism
- government, unions and business leaders working together
what developments have led to an increase in pressure groups in modern society?
- better education (better educated population)
- e-democracy and social media
- growth of TV and direct media action
- constitutional reforms allow professional lobbying/better access points
- devolution allows local lobbying
- ECHR and HRA allow further and more solid scrutiny
- class dealignment and partisan dealignment more prominent
- decrease in participation in traditional politics led to an increase in pressure group membership
what is the pluralist approach?
- is a natural and healthy feature of political life
- contributes to democracy
- reflects the views of ordinary people
- provides informed views and specialist expertise
- allows minority voices to be heard, allowing balance in democracy
- prevention of any single group form exercising disproportionate power
- allows for countervailing groups
what is the corporstist approach?
- idea of bringing organised interests into process of government
- close links between industry and government
- happened throughout heath, wilson and wilson/callaghan governments
- unhealthy and a threat to representative democracy
what is the new right approach?
- promotion of own interest of sectional bodies rather than promoting the wider society need
- dislike dominance of producer interests (employers and employees)
- saw pressure groups to distort the proper role of the executive and legislature
- dislike the way it makes it more difficult for MPs to represent all viewpoints among their constituents
what is the marxist approach?
- control in society should be by the ruling economic group that makes decisions to serve its own interests
- whether the group activity is pluralist or corporatist, dominant ruling group in the power structure will prevail
corporatism
- system of policy making
- major economic groups work closely together within formal structures to carry out public policies
heterogeneous population definition
- diverse population in which many ethnic groups are represented
countervailing groups definition
- groups formed to oppose the views of and compete with the dominant group in any particular sector
