represent the interests of a section of society
they also offer a service to their members
- Trade Unions
- Employers Organisations
- Professional associations
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What are cause/promotional pressure groups?
promote a cause rather than a particular section of society
- Groups concerned with fairness/justice (Liberty)
- Groups concerned with animals (RSPCA)
- Groups concerned with the environment (Green Peace)
- Groups concerned with peace (CND)
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What is dual function?
Some groups may be both sectional and cause based
e.g. Transport 2000 - campaigns for better public transport CAUSE aimed at a section of society ie those that use public transport SECTION benefits will extend beyond this section
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What is further classification?
Professor Wyn Grant introduced the following classification :
insider groups
outsider groups
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What are insider pressure groups?
enjoy regular contacts with policy makers, often have close links with gov departments, insider groups often have knowledge or expertise which is useful to gov so they get consulted when gov formulate new policy, insider groups acceptable as seen as moder
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What are outsider pressure groups?
find it difficult to achieve contact with gov departments, more likely to resort to protests and direct action to get noticed, rely heavily on media to get across message, apply pressure indirectly by raising public awareness of minority issues, may lack
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Changing status
How did trade unions change?
were insiders in 1970s and regularly consulted by governments but lost influence under Margaret Thatcher in 1980s
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Changing status
How did environmental groups change?
used to be outsiders but since the 1990s have become more insiders as governments take the environment more seriously
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What are New Social Movements?
NSMs emerged in 1980s mainly due to development of telecommunications
Less formal and structured than pressure groups
Emerge in response to an issue
Characterised by mass demonstrations
E.G. Anti Poll Tax Federation, Peoples Fuel Lobby
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What are the main features of New Social Movements?
appear rapidly, mass movements with many thousand instant followers, a single issue or narrow range of issues, usually temporary, informal organisations, methods are highly visible
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What are sectional/interest pressure groups?
Back
represent the interests of a section of society
they also offer a service to their members
- Trade Unions
- Employers Organisations
- Professional associations
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