3.2.2.5 Pressure groups

Types of pressure groups

Examples

  • Stonewall: LGBTQ+ rights, insider, causal
    • Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013

PGs in the US

  • Large range of possible interests
  • Size and diversity
  • Ethnic and culturual diversity
  • Fragmentation of power both vertically and horizontally provides numerous access points

Pluralist Democracy

  • Pluralist democracy: a system where demands and interests of many different groups in society are recognised and taken into consideration in policy making

  • Is the UK a pluralist democracy?

    • Large number of different political parties
      • yes
    • There is a wide variety of political associations and pressure groups which are tolerated and which may participate in political processes
      • yes
    • Power is widely dispersed: the people have a great deal of influence and power; political influence and power is not concentrated in a few hands
      • not really

  • Example of pluralist democracy: Germany

    • Much more federal system
    • Europe in general is much more pluralist than the UK

Pluralism vs Elitism

  • Pluralism

    • The belief that power is evenly and widely spread in society
    • Many pressure groups can and do contribute to the political process, no one signle PG is so powerful it dominates all others
    • There is open access to information
    • Power is disperesed and shared out in society
    • Political participation is shared

  • Elitism

    • The belief that power is restricted and narrowly disperesed
    • Few PGs contribute to the political process, some are so strong they dominate the political environment
    • Access to information and decision making process is withheld from many, information is power
    • Notion of a neutral government is false, governments have agendas of their own

Single Issue Groups

  • A group that focuses on a single issue instead of a set of guiding principles/ideology
  • Often dispand once their central objective is achieved
  • e.g. Snowdrop Campaign to ban private ownership of handguns

Features and functions

  • PGs are membership organisations
    • feature
    • Citizens join as members, paying a membership fee
    • Consulted with regularly about what issues the PG should campaign on
    • Members invited and encouraged to take part in political campaigns (e.g. email their MP), or direct action (e.g. protests/marches)
  • PGs are usually run by paid professionals with expertise in different areas
    • e.g. Fundraising team, membership team, campaigns team, education team, scientific team
  • PGs lobby the government
    • function
  • PGs can be insider/outsider
    • feature
  • PGs can also be charities/unions
    • PG + charity
      • Action for Children
      • Supports children from disadvantaged background with practical support
      • PG aiming to influence government policy and UK laws affecting children and families
    • PG + trade union
      • NEU (National Education Union)
      • PG aiming to influence government policy and UK laws affecting teachers and the education sector
    • PG + association of organisations
      • CBI (Confedoration of British Industry)
      • association of business from all over the UK
      • PG aiming to influence government policy and UK laws affecting British businesses
  • PGs educate their members and the wider public
    • function

Pressure group objectives

  • Influence policy and decision makers
  • Raise public awareness of an issue
  • Mobilise pubilc to campaign/protest
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