Pressure Groups Flashcards
What is an insider group? (Examples: NUS, BMA, NSPCC, RSPCA)
.Have special connections with government and parliament
. Direct access to decision-makers and involved in policy development
Often consulted by parliamentary committes
What is an outsider group? (Examples: Fathers4Justice, Greenpeace, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND))
.Don’t have direct access to government/ Parliament
. May wish not to associate with government to maintin political ideological integrity
. Seek to mobilise public support
.Direct Action used through use of social media, internet & public demonstrations e.g. Iraq War March
.
What is pluralism?
> A society or a political system which suggests that there are many groups, beliefs and cultures and lifestyles which can flourish and be tolerated.
Power in a political system is widely dispersed not concentrated e.g. USA
Recognises right of different groups to have influence to receive equal treatment
What is elitism?
Recognises that power-political, social and economic is in the hands of a small number of people which may be unrepresentative of society as a whole, known as elites
How do pressure groups enhance pluralism?
> Disperse power and influence very widely
Ensure that many groups are able to exert political influence
Help to protect the interests of groups in society
Balance the power of centralised government
Pressure groups can be associated with elitism because…
> Some powerful, wealthy, influential groups may concentrate power in few hands e.g. British Bankers Association
> influential insider groups may serve to concentrate more power in governments’ hands Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
> Some groups may be led by unaccountable elites
Some groups hold a disproportionate amount of power
How are pressure groups different from political parties?
> Loosely organised
Don’t seek to govern but may put up for election in order to influence
Narrow goals, concentrate on certain issues
Unaccountable to people
But…
> Some groups can transition into parties e.g. Green Party and UKIP
>Some develop wide range of policies e.g. trade unions and CBI
Explain methods used by pressure groups in order to influence
> Lobbying- especially beneficial for insider groups, compare UK & USA groups
Sitting on advisory & and policy committees e.g. BMA
Organising mass public demonstrations e.g. OCCUPY
Media Campaigns e.g. Justice for Ghurkhas
Internet Campaigns e.g. STOP KONY 2012
Civil Disobedience e.g. Unite Against Facism threw egg at Nick Griffin.
What are five things which pressure group success depend on?
> Resources: More money, bigger organisation, bigger campaigns
> Insider status
> Lack of opposition
> Celebrity involvement
> Strategic position
What is a promotional group? Give examples
A group which pursues a certain cause in order to influence government at any level.
e.g. CBI,NUS,RCN, Age UK
What is a sectional group? Give examples.
A group which seeks to promote/defend the interests of a particular section of society.
e.g. Friends of the Earth, ASH, Liberty
