Pressure groups and other influences

Question 1

What is a pressure group?

Answer 1

A pressure group is a group of people who work together to try to influence what other people and the government think about a particular topic

Question 2

What is a pluralist democracy?

Answer 2

Pluralist democracy = means that political power and influence are widley distributed so that different grpu[s can compete to sway the government in their favour

Question 3

What are the key features of a pressure group?

Answer 3

• They seek to exert influence from outside rather than to win ot excercise government power. They do not make policy decisonsbut rather try to influence those who do
• They are external to the government and act as a channel of ongoing communication between people and the govermnet

Question 4

What are sectional / interest pressure groups?

Answer 4

Sectional / interest groups = represent the interests of a particular group within society. For e.g. The Muslim Council of Britian represents the interests of all British Muslims and the National Union of Students represents the interests of all students . They lobby government on behalf of these defined social groups.

Question 5

What are cause/ promotional pressure groups?

Answer 5

Cause pressure groups = promote a particular issue . Pressure groups such as friends of the earth and Liberty which campaign on behalf of civil liberties in the UK, are cause groups because their members are united in their interest a particular cause.

Question 6

What are insider pressure groups?

Answer 6

Insider group = has privelleged access to government decision making. The British Medical association represents doctors and so possesses specalist information that governments will wish to consults. The Howard Leauge Penal Reform is an important organisation that can supply the home office with important information concerning prison reform, policing and youth crime

Question 7

What are outsider pressure groups?