Pressure groups Flashcards
What is a pressure group?
An organise, often single-issue group with a membership of common interests and aims. Usually don’t stand in elections and aim to influence government policy.
What are the main functions of pressure groups?
(name examples
- encourage public participation by offering legitimate and effective opportunities to challenge gov.
- provide communication channels between gov and the governed.
- protecting minority rights, e.g. Shelter and the homeless
- providing expertise e.g. automobile association on transport issues.
- mobilising public support for certain issues, may include direct action, e.g. 2010 student protests against rise in tuition fees.
What is a pluralist democracy?
System of gov that enables and encourages participation and allows for free and fair competition between multiple completing interests.
Is the UK a pluralist democracy?
YES:
- important decisions are made on multiple levels - local, regional and national
- elections are held regularly and see a wide range of parties competing for elected office - conducted under secret ballot with universal suffrage.
- huge range of pressure groups exist.
- rights and liberties; especially in context of freedom of speech, right to protest and assembly and association - protected under rule of law.
NO:
- UK wide elections carried out under majoritarian system of FPTP meaning seats ratios distorted; voting groups under-represented.
- Parliament unelected second chamber, uneven relationship between branches and lack of separation of powers allows executive to dominate the legislature = criticisms.
- political engagement is often characterised by apathy and disillusionment - turnout at elections is low, as its membership of the political parties that view for power.
- lacks codified constitution to limit gov and to set out and protect rights and liberties.
- transfer of power (decision making) to unelected bodies to regional development agencies/ regulatory bodies such as Ofcom and Ofsted = multiple bodies able to exert genuine pressure on process.
Factors which suggest that pressure groups promote democracy.
- Enhancing and supplementing representation e.g. black lives matter.
- Encouraging participation as focuses on narrow issues.
- Education and expertise.
- Protecting minorities.
Factors which suggest that pressure groups are undemocratic.
- Inequality of influence e.g. insider position or block of support (high turnout amongst elderly have led to many to conclude that issues that affect them have been protected compared to younger people interests
- Inequality of resources e.g. wealth.
- Internal democracy = not accountable organisations/ paid professionals with objectives do not align with groups membership. E.g. the BMA was forced to cancel strike over junior doctors after members highlighted issues with patient safety.
- Undermine democratic process = a lot behind closed doors means scrutiny is harder of policy formation. Significant growth in direct actions - project 84 that undermine constitution.
Explain other influences on government and Parliament with examples.
- Think tanks: independent of gov, non-profitable organisations e.g. Cameron’s right wing think tank “policy exchange” and IPPR (successful on powering Northern powerhouse agenda).
- Lobbyist’s: e.g. PLMR give advice, schedule, contacts etc but Acts in 2015 such as Trade Union Act and Transparency of Lobbying requires all lobbyists on register.
- Corporations: significant investment, have expert policy units, coherent into federations such as CBI and UK finance. E.g. Tesco and GlaxoSmithKline work with policy.
- Media: traditional media meant only well established groups could be involved e.g. NSPCC spent £3million on TV campaign in 2005 against child violence, new media cheaper, faster etc trending with hashtags such as MeToo campaign.
What are the classification of pressure groups by aims?
EXAMPLES
STEWART
Sectional:
- benefits for themselves/particular section of society
- TUC is a sectional peak group with over 50 trade unions - investigation into Sports direct treatment of workers
Cause:
- not necessarily for them
- Friends of the Earth, successful in protecting conservation areas
What are the classification of pressure groups by status?
EXAMPLES
GRANT
Insider
- BMA
- great influence over formulating policy
- specialist (Automobile Association), peripheral insider (Addaction)
- Some have perm seats in gov e.g. National Framer’ Union.
Outsider
- CPS more favourable in 1970’s and 80s for generating wealth and reports on free market economics etc.
- Fathers4Justice = necessity outsider
- Greenpeace = ideological outsider
Name a pressure group more insider than outsider.
The Howard League for Penal Reform
- prison reform
- funded by charitable trusts
- high-profile campaigns such as Books for Prisoners
- Celebrity endorsement; Carol Ann Duffy
- Engaged with department of justice
- Focus on resources and programmes that tackle the causes of crime.
Name a pressure group that’s more outsider and insider.
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
- opposes all forms of military action involving nuclear and building of power stations in the UK.
- CND notable for longevity
- 1983 over 300,000 marched in London due to Cruise missiles.
- Maintained relationship with Labour, claiming to influence between 60s and 80s.
What are the access points for pressure groups?
- Popular protest: direct action and civil disobedience e.g EDL, project 84
- Public opinion and media: BLM
- Political parties: members and manifestos e.g NFU and CBI
- Legislators: MPs, peers e.g. cancer research, SHELTER
- Ministers and civil servants e.g TUC, BMA
- Executive
Factors likely to affect the political influence of different groups.
- Aims and philosophy: if goals are achievable
- Status: insider status more beneficial
- Expertise
- Wealth: ‘buy influence’
- Size
- Organisation and leadership
- Other factors: celebrity endorsement, the presence of opposition groups and the timing.
How do pressure groups differ from political parties?
- Pressure groups are usually formed for one reason, whereas political parties are multi-issued, long period of time and attempt to wide range of potential voters.
- Pressure groups do not develop a range of policies and only crank up prior to an election; electioneering only a small feature.
- Political parties electioneering is permanent and continuous on many levels e.g. local and European.
