Pressure Groups Flashcards
What can pressure groups be?
- National
- Local
- Transient (lasts for a short time)
- Well known
How do pressure groups work?
They work together to secure the introduction, prevention and continuation or abolition of whatever measures they feel strongly about
How many organisations are recognised by the Directory of British Association and what’s the issue with this?
34,000 organisations however it’s not reliable
What did the Liberal French aristocrat and politician, Alexis De Tocqueville remark about americans? (1830s)
He was impressed by the ways in which “Americans of all ages, all conditions and all dispositions constant form associations.” which allowed America to be a “powerful instrument of action.”
Associative tendency
Tend to group together
-
Civil Society
- Non- governmental organisation (trade/development)
- Faith based
- Registered charities
- Community groups
Why has there been a rise in pressure groups?
- Growth in the extent and scope of government activity in second half of 21st century
- Government more involved in sectors such as education and health and they wish for a better quality of life
- Growing complexity and specialism of modern life
- People may belong to subgroups
- Growing interest in single issue pressure groups
- Multi-cultural society
- Emergence of new issues and onset of materialism
- Improvement in communication
What indicates to us that your society is multicultural?
- British Sikh Federation
- British Hindus
- Muslim council of Britain
What are the similarities regarding pressure groups and political parties?
- Vehicle whereby opinions can be expressed
- Outlet of political participation
- Role in the workings of the government
- Provide information
How many trade unions are affiliated with the labour party and name a few examples?
14
- NUM (national union for mineworkers)
- UNITE (for general workers in the public or private sectors)
- USDAW (retail, distributive and related industries)
Can there be pressure groups within a party and if so, give examples?
- Tory Reform Group
Promote the value of one nation conservatism which was established in 1975 - Labour tribune MPs
Centre left of parliamentary Labour Party. They wish to engage with wide labour movement across the UK.
What do we mean by think tanks may act alongside political parties?
Members will share the broad outlook of the party but act independently and seek to have an impact on general thrusts of public policy
Who moderates the left and right parties?
Left - Institute for Public Policy Research
Right- Centre for policy research
How do pressure groups differ from political office?
- They are not trying to gain political office
- do not contest in election
- when they do, they try to gain publicity
- Goals narrower
- less structured than pressure groups (core groups provide direction for everyone else)
- Activities rise at grass root level before being noticed
Women’s movement
Various individuals and groups concerned with advancing women
1903- Suffragettes
Since 1960s, what new social movements have emerged?
- New ways of organising political activity
- Less willing to be absorbed into the political system
- Fundamental change to status quo/dominant value in society
Features of a sectional group
- Exclusive membership
- Limited to a section of society whose interest they serve
- Primarily self interested which seek selective benefits and offer services to their members
- Business interest amongst the most well known
What is an example of umbrella/peak group?
Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
Trade Union Congress (TUC)
British Retail Consortium (11,000 stores)
Why are trade union sectional groups?
Exist to represent the interests of organised working people by defending them
What department is responsible for publishing statistics on membership of trade unions and what was the membership in 2015?
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
6.5 million as opposed to the 2M
Cause group
- inclusive membership
- wish to establish wide base of membership
- Shorter life span
Why are sectional groups more successful than cause groups?
- better organised
- better resourced
- they have more staff
- they have more funding
- more access to government
What are hybrid groups and what is an example?
Are pressure groups that exhibit characteristics of both Sectional and Promotional pressure groups.
They aim to promote values they believe are in the interest of the wider community AND seek better outcomes for one section of society.
Example: Royal association for disability and rehabilitation
What are issues with classifying groups by aims?
- Many groups campaign for a cause as well as representing interests of their members
- Division between attitude/political groups far from clear cut
Who came up with insider/outsider typology?
Wyn Grant
Outsider groups
Groups that work outside of the political loop.
Why did Wyn Grant come up with the insider and outsider typology?
He found the sectional and cause unsatisfactory due to the fact that it assumes that sectional groups are more powerful than cause groups whereas Grant prefers to base it on relationship.
What were the key issues with Wyn Grant’s typology?
- whether any particular group wanted to gain acceptance by government
- if they do want acceptance, whether or not they achieve that status
- Distinction is unfortunately not clear cut (Friends of Earth remain in dialogue with government but they maintain direct action)
- Distinctions less valid today as new forms of policy on the rise
What defines pressure group success?
Gain access to the centre of decision-making and exert influence over development of policy as well as ability to exploit opportunities of influence available to them
What does pressure group success depend upon?
- resources available
- get message to decision makers @ whitehall
- political circumstances
- climate of the time they operate in
Example of resources that people will have that will affect how they operate?
- Membership
- Leadership
- Staffing
- Esteem
- Funding
- Organisation
- Public support
- Ability to make strategic alliance
Membership
- Density of membership
- Representative?
- Size of activist base
Leadership/Staffing
- Charismatic, Creative and Energetic leaders
- Efficient staff tend to have more success
Esteem
- Higher status for groups such as BMA
- Groups such as NACRO (ex-offenders) and Release (drug addicts) have less appeal
Funding
- Organise externally and internally which influences powers externally
- Allows expenditure on quality leadership, creation of a favourable image and staff
Organisation
- Sectional groups have more staffing and office space but cause groups may not be as well off
- There can be small, highly centralised and professional command structure (RSPB)
Public support
- Popular mood of the government more like to have a considerable advantage and government sensitive to the views of electorate especially near election time
Ability to make strategic alliance
Supplement own alliance by forming alliances to oppose government
- Identity cards
Why may those in whitehall rely on insider groups?
Matters involving technical understanding and to implement the policy may be reliant on the advice and assistance of well-resourced groups. They may also need it for detailed assistance in drafting legislation from well-informed groups
British Medical Association
Voluntary association with 130,000 members
- 80% practising doctors
Political circumstances and climate
Attitudes of ministers crucial to prospects of groups and success. Government response may be affected by the size of Parliamentary majority
What happened in 1970s?
Labour pressure groups between 1974-1979 after Thatcherism found it easy to pass legislation