Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups

Advantages

  • Able to raise public awareness of matters affecting their interests or cause
  • E.g. AllOut - a group working for international LGBT - primarily uses new media rather than traditional advertising (like leaflets) to advertise campaign. The produce online petitions, YouTube videos, encourage protest against injustice and abuse suffered by LGBT people. They also stage events like flash mobs
  • Remind Parliament about the importance of issues that the public believe to be important
  • E.g. Environmental pressure groups have gained greater influence on all political parties as public has become concerned about global warming (car tax rates changed in favour of smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles)
  • Some pressure groups have huge memberships which exceed those of the main political parties
  • E.g. National Trust represents more than 2 million members - able to raise awareness of issues of importance to large numbers of people
  • Sound knowledge on their interests and causes in order to put their point across convincingly - therefore laws enacted as a result of pressure groups should benefit from a lot of expertise
  • E.g. Jamie Oliver is an expert on nutrition, able to advise on key foods that should and shouldn't be available to children at school

Disadvantages

  • They are quite biased in favour of their own interest. Campaigns by pressure groups may not present a balanced argument
  • E.g. Fathers 4 Justice may not understand that the courts and mothers are trying to achieve the best outcome for their kids
  • Members are often very passionate, they may resort to undesirable tactics like violence or criminal behaviour to promote their cause
  • E.g. Animal activists have damaged scientific animal testing labs and threatened workers and their families, members of Countryside Alliance and Fathers 4 Justice have demonstrated in The House of Commons
  • Opinions held by pressure groups may only help a small minority of the population

Evaluation

Pressure groups can help the government seek what the public wants through protest, if well organised and influential - they can change the law. However if they don't have clear aims then they won't be able to make a difference.

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