Pressure Groups Exam Questions

• association of people seeking to influence public policy + decision making
• types:
  1) sectional groups - aim to further interests of section of society by seeking/amending legislation i.e trade unions
  2) promotional groups - concerned with specific cause so seek friendly policy + mobilising public opinion i.e RSPCA
• influencing policy > seeking gov. power

• main classification: promotional (cause/issue) + sectional (interest)
• promotional: concerned with causes/issues therefore interested in welfare of community in general i.e Greenpeace (not self-interested)
• sectional: concerned with furthering interests of specific groups i.e Confederation of British Industry or National Farmers Union (self-interested)

1) insider group

• pressure groups with special/intimate relationship with state + other public bodies
• frequently consulted + sometimes have semi-formal in governing circles (places reserved on official policy committees; consulted regularly by ministers + civil servants; regularly give evidence to select + standing committees)
• i.e NFU + AA + RSPCA have special access to EC + EP; National Consumer Council + Commission for Equality and Human Rights set up + funded by gov.
• mostly sectional

2) outsider group

• pressure groups without special status due to choice or antagonistic relationship with gov.
• influence policy by mobilising public opinion + demonstrating strength of feeling over issues (public + media campaigns to further issues)
• i.e Make Poverty History + Greenpeace
• mostly promotional but trade unions are sectional + became outsiders during 1980s

• description of society, more specifically of political systems
• refers to fact that many different cultural + religious groups + political views + ideologies allowed to flourish together
• also refers to idea that power in society is more widely distributed among indiv. + groups
• also refers to political environment where different groups + associations i.e parties + pressure groups + religions are tolerated + free to express opinions + to campaign for office/influence
• associated with concept of civil society: description of groups + associations which exist within democracy + are independent of state (contrasted with totalitarian/autocratic political systems in which such groups + belief systems are suppressed + more singular set of political beliefs imposed)

• refers to characteristic of some societies/political systems
• implies those who hold political + economic + social power are relatively narrow, elite section of society
• therefore suggests power is concentrated in senior political figures + those who possess wealth + those who run major firms/corporations + leaders of arts/culture + military/religious leadership
• therefore suggests the people in general + those outside gov. hold little or no influence (anti-democratic)
• i.e communist states (USSR, China, Cuba); military dictatorships (1977-2008: Pakistan); religious states (Iran); western society as seen by the Left due to control by elite of politics, business, military

• parties seek gov. power; pressure groups want to influence gov.
• parties are accountable; pressure groups aren't
• parties have to develop policies over all issues; pressure groups almost always campaign on narrow range
• parties have formal membership; pressure groups do not have membership or informal membership

• some pressure groups (i.e CBI, large trade unions) develop wide range of policies beyond own narrow concerns i.e interest in foreign policy issues (post-war UK: strong trade union influence in Labour influenced left-wing foreign policy) + enviroment groups involved in rights/economy/world trade/poverty/democracy (Friends of the Earth)
• some pressure groups put up candidates for elections in single issue parties i.e BNP (dominated by race + immigration issues)
• some associations are both parties + pressure groups i.e Greens + UKIP (former pressure groups that became parties)
• some parties closely associated with pressure groups i.e Labour + trade unions; Institute of Directors + Tories; Liberty + Lib Dems

1) insider groups (mostly sectional)

• methods: working within gov. by places on policy committees + regular written reports + research findings (i.e environment + business groups) + evidence at parliamentary committees + meetings with ministers or civil servants + direct involvement in drafting of legislation (i.e National Consumer Council or Law Commission)

2) outsider groups (mostly promotional)

• methods: mobilising public opinion to place issues on public/political agenda + persuasion that there is support; potential for more votes if gov. seen to support group (i.e Help the Aged) + media supports (i.e Jamie Oliver - school meals) + public demonstrations (Stop the War) + publicity stunts (Plane Stupid)

3) sectional groups (usually insider)

• methods: direct action i.e trade unions - strikes or non-compliance with new policy (junior doctor strikes 2016)

4) promotional (usually outsider)

• methods: illegal direct action to gain publicity i.e Greenpeace

• decline of political parties + identification with parties i.e 1980s: 2,000,000 - 2008: 400,000
• disillusionment with parties + politics leading to identification with pressure groups not suffering same loss of public confidence
• interest in single issue politics > broader policies + ideologies; parties less ideological + increasing political consensus therefore easier to identify with single issues
• gov. is increasingly complex + technical so states need pressure groups to inform them of opinions + demands + needs + changes in society
• increasing affluence means people have more activities + interests leading to demands for policy change i.e sport + environment + travel + culture + entertainment
• media more active in campaigning on issues so effective vehicles for pressure groups to pursue causes + interests
• more opportunities to access decision makers i.e open political systems of devolved gov. + local gov. + EU
• more involvement in courts using judicial reviews + appeals to further interests i.e appeals for release of new drug treatments by NHS + appeals to European Court of Justice for worker's rights

• success: preventing unfriendly legislation (i.e against approval of super-casinos) + passing friendly legislation (Action on Smoking and Health + smoking ban) + amendments to legislation (Countryside Alliance + anti-fox hunting legislation) + raising public/political awareness (Liberty)
• achieving insider status i.e NFU in UK + EU
• wealthy groups can afford to mount major campaigns + undertake research + have access to media i.e BMA + UNISON
• good organisation + major demos influencing public/political opinion i.e Countryside Alliance 2003 - 300,000 demonstrators on London streets
• use of tech to organise demonstrations quickly + effectively i.e 2000: anti-fuel tax lobby
• media manipulation i.e Jamie Oliver for improved school meals + funding
• celebrity endorsement i.e Joanna Lumley for gurkas + Bob Geldof for world poverty (Band Aid) + Sir Ian McKellen for AIDS and gay rights
• ideological similarities with party in gov. i.e liberal gov. - rights groups like Liberty; Tory gov. - business groups like CBI; Labour gov. - trade unions + groups representing disadvantaged

1) Representation - providing mouthpiece for under-represented through functional representation i.e Muslim Council of Britain
2) Political participation - allowing informal participation to exert precise pressure on given issue through marches/protests i.e Britain in Europe
3) Education - educating public + raising political awareness in order to become expert authorities i.e Animal Aid
4) Policy formation - advising/informing government + becoming consultants on specific policy i.e The Christian Institute
5) Policy implementation - putting forth policies to benefit group it represents i.e National Farmers Union
6) Mobilisation of public opinion - promoting discussion/debate that could lead to more members i.e Arab Spring
7) Single issue - articulating issues considered too sensitive by political parties i.e OutRage!
8) Redress of grievance - campaigning against something it disagrees with i.e Gurkha Justice Campaign
9) Expert knowledge - knowing more about specific subject > politicians i.e CBI
10) Checks and balances - campaigning for decentralisation

1) e-Petitions
Petitions that can be debated in HoC if enough signatures i.e "full disclosure of all gov. documents relating to Hillsborough disaster" 155,725 signatures
2) Leaflets/adverts
Used to convey messages to large numbers i.e NSPCC's "Full Stop" campaign in 1999 (150% increase in calls)
3) Media/publicity stunts
Used to gain media attention to given cause i.e Dan Glass from Plane Stupid supergluing himself to Brown to "stick to his environmental promises"
4) Providing research
used to provide independent data for fair democracy i.e Institute for Public Policy Research (economics, public service reform, family policy)
5) Social networking/blogs
Used to advertise messages/recruit members i.e Arab Spring 2010 social media to spread messages against corruption
6) Direct action
Political cation imposing sanction affecting gov./running of country (often illegal)
i.e Genetix Snowball 1999 - protest against GM crops; export of live animals from Brightlingsea 1999 - middle class protesters prevented export after CIWF release video