9 - Pressure Groups

Question 1

What is a pressure group?

Answer 1

An organisation that aims to influence political decision making

Question 2

Key features of insider groups?

Answer 2

• Close ties with govt
• Powerful
• Specialist knowledge
  e.g. unions, thinktanks, lobbying firms

Question 3

Key features of outsiders?

Answer 3

• Lack of strong govt links
• Usually more marginalised/ radical
• Use of direct action for publicity
  e.g. Just Stop OIl, Animal Liberation Front, SHAC

Question 4

What are interest groups?

Answer 4

• Exist to defend/ advance certain interests
• Try to get best govt deal
• Usually insiders
  e.g. unions, professional associations

Question 5

What are causal groups?

Answer 5

• Campaign for particular cause - Altruistic
• Open membership
• Usually outsiders
  e.g. environmentalism, animal welfare, nuclear disarmament

Question 6

Why do people join pressure groups?

Answer 6

1) Representation
2) Personal beliefs
3) Participation
4) Material benefit

Question 7

Importance of trade unions?

Answer 7

• Carried political weight
• “Beer & sandwiches at No. 10”
• Provided funding (e.g 2019 - Unite £4 million)
  HOWEVER
• Decline in membership (13 million to 6 million 1979-2022)
• Less influential when Labour out of power

Question 8

Union Case Study: RMT

Answer 8

• Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
• Majority of London workers
• Regularly consulted
  SUCCESS:
  Lobbied TfL over Olympics workload - £1000 for Underground workers
  FAILURES:
  RMT strikes over ticket office closures ineffective and 286 closed by TfL

Question 9

Outsider Case Study: Extinction Rebellion

Answer 9

• Wants climate emergency declared
• Convince govt to create Citizen’s Assembly
  e.g. sprayed Treasury with fake blood
  SUCCESS:
• UK carbon neutral by 2050
• Citizen’s Assembly set up but no power
  FAILURES:
• Govt plan hasn’t matched demands
• 2019 disruption to 500,000 commuters

Question 10

What is lobbying?

Answer 10

Process of individuals/ groups meeting with key figures to persuade support

Question 11

Methods of lobbying?

Answer 11

1) Provide political advice
2) Develop campaigns
3) Organise conferences to meet figures

Question 12

Criticisms of lobbying?

Answer 12

1) 1998: Derek Draper caught boasting about govt connections - Lobbygate
2) 2010: Undercover journalists approached 3 former labour cabinet ministers and all 3 offered to work for money

Question 13

What are thinktanks?

Answer 13

• Organisation of experts to formulate policy
• Produce research & reports
• Hired by pressure groups

Question 14

Benefits of think tanks?

Answer 14

1) Extensive research
2) Advice to govt
3) Provide expertise

Question 15

Drawbacks of think tanks?

Answer 15

1) Only advance certain interests
2) Can produce misleading results

Question 16

Examples of donations?

Answer 16

• ## Lord Sainsbury: £10m to Cons

Question 17

Methods used by pressure groups?

Answer 17

1) Direct Action (e.g. Just Stop Oil)
2) Courts (e.g. Greenpeace) - Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015
3) Appealing to public (e.g. BLM)

Question 18

Factors influencing success?

Answer 18

1) Membership (e.g. National Trust 5 million)
2) Links with the govt (e.g. BMA 2007 smoking ban)
3) Media support (e.g. Snowdrop campaign)

Question 19

How do they help democracy?

Answer 19

1) Popular forums for campaigning
2) Enable representation
3) Democratic structures

Question 20

How do they harm democracy?

Answer 20

1) “chequebook members”
2) No direct democratic mandate
3) Information put out could be one-sided

Question 21

How do pressure groups promote elitism?

Answer 21

1) Powerful groups influence policy
2) Mostly represent powerful people
3) Unequal

Question 22

How do pressure groups promote pluralism?

Answer 22

1) Social media boosts smaller PGs
2) Govts consult them to appeal to voters
3) Many PGs are largely unstructured