Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups in America

Created by: Hannah
Created on: 26-05-13 11:37


	Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups in America
	Advantages Provide legislators and bureaucrats with important info and act as a sounding board for legislators Bring some order to the political debate - aggregate views and channel interests of members Broaden opportunities for participation in democracy Increase levels of accountability Increase opportunities for representation between elections Offer opportunities for minorities views to be heard which might otherwise have been lost Enhance freedom of speech and association US political process is conduction to PGs and there are many access points	Disadvantages Revolving Door Syndrome - 43% of retiring congress members between 1998 and 2000 became lobbyists Iron Triangle Syndrome = strong relationship between pressure groups, committees and government departments Inequality of groups e.g. Environment = Big business resources vs. protectionist groups Special Interests vs. Public Interests Buying political influence = Senator Edward Kennedy - America has 'the finest Congress that money can buy' Use of direct action
	Evaluation Pressure groups enhance democracy and encourage participation in politics, particularly in America where there are so many access points, most notably in Congress. However Revolving Door Syndrome and Iron Triangle syndrome are becoming big issues in America and making the pressure group system unfair. Therefore when judging the importance of pressure groups in America, these disadvantages are important, even though they do enhance democracy and participation.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups in America

Advantages

Provide legislators and bureaucrats with important info and act as a sounding board for legislators
Bring some order to the political debate - aggregate views and channel interests of members
Broaden opportunities for participation in democracy
Increase levels of accountability
Increase opportunities for representation between elections
Offer opportunities for minorities views to be heard which might otherwise have been lost
Enhance freedom of speech and association
US political process is conduction to PGs and there are many access points

Disadvantages

Revolving Door Syndrome - 43% of retiring congress members between 1998 and 2000 became lobbyists
Iron Triangle Syndrome = strong relationship between pressure groups, committees and government departments
Inequality of groups e.g. Environment = Big business resources vs. protectionist groups
Special Interests vs. Public Interests
Buying political influence = Senator Edward Kennedy - America has 'the finest Congress that money can buy'
Use of direct action

Evaluation

Pressure groups enhance democracy and encourage participation in politics, particularly in America where there are so many access points, most notably in Congress. However Revolving Door Syndrome and Iron Triangle syndrome are becoming big issues in America and making the pressure group system unfair. Therefore when judging the importance of pressure groups in America, these disadvantages are important, even though they do enhance democracy and participation.

Comments

Old Sir

Report Mon 2nd December, 2013 @ 18:58

A good example of succinct organisation of the factors affecting an issue which has already been revised in detail. This method might suit students coming to the end of their revision of a topic and beginning to concentrate of questions which might come up.

Get Revising

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups in America