Arguments for and against pressure groups


	Arguments for and against pressure groups
	Advantages They provide legislators and bureaucrats with useful information Bring order to policy debates Broaden the opportunities for participation in a democracy Can increase levels of accountability They increase opportunities for representation between elections They enhance the two fundamental rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association	Disadvantages Revolving door syndrome ( a high proportion of professional lobbyists are former members of congress or former congressional staff members meaning they are able to exploit their knowledge and contacts in congress and so make lots of money) The iron triangle syndrome (close relationship between PG, relevant congressional committees and relevant gov departments or agency (guarantees policy outcomes which benefit those involved- encourages elitism not pluralism) Inequality of groups ( competition for influence over those who make policy is unequal eg environmental PG going against big corporations) Special interests vs the public interest (put the interests of a small group before the interests of society as a whole tend to accentuate me rather than we) Buying political influence ( lobbyists for PG that have more money have a disproportionate level of influence- over influence of money) Some methods used are undemocratic (use of direct action is deemed to be inappropriate eg when unacceptable levels of violence are used to peruse their political agenda)
	Evaluation

They provide legislators and bureaucrats with useful information
Bring order to policy debates
Broaden the opportunities for participation in a democracy
Can increase levels of accountability
They increase opportunities for representation between elections
They enhance the two fundamental rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association

Revolving door syndrome ( a high proportion of professional lobbyists are former members of congress or former congressional staff members meaning they are able to exploit their knowledge and contacts in congress and so make lots of money)
The iron triangle syndrome (close relationship between PG, relevant congressional committees and relevant gov departments or agency (guarantees policy outcomes which benefit those involved- encourages elitism not pluralism)
Inequality of groups ( competition for influence over those who make policy is unequal eg environmental PG going against big corporations)
Special interests vs the public interest (put the interests of a small group before the interests of society as a whole tend to accentuate me rather than we)
Buying political influence ( lobbyists for PG that have more money have a disproportionate level of influence- over influence of money)
Some methods used are undemocratic (use of direct action is deemed to be inappropriate eg when unacceptable levels of violence are used to peruse their political agenda)

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