Do pressure groups benefit democracy? Flashcards
What are the 6 benefits of democracy?
- People can express their views together
- Act as a defence to minority interests
- Encourages wider participation in politics
- link between those who govern and the people
- Act as a valuable check on political power
- Provide valuable information to government departments
What do pressure groups provide as an advantage of allowing people to express their views?
they act as a safety valve enabling anyone with a grievance to feel that they are able to vent this disenchantment
What is it an advantage that the use of pressure groups encourages people to participate in politics?
as most people on participate in a general election every 5 years and therefore often would not have a chance to express their preference on individual issues.
What could involvement in pressure groups lead to (positive)?
this could lead to people developing political skills to such an extent that it might encourage them to serve as officers of their group or even stand as candidates for election
What is an advantage of pressure groups as they act as a better link to the people and those who govern than political parties?
sometimes traditional party attitudes seem irrelevant to peoples lives whereas group activity allow them to achieve their goals. In turn, these groups counter the monopoly of the political process by political parties, raising issues that fall outside the realm of party ideas
What type of issue was questioned via a pressure group before political parties?
ecological issues
How does the fact that most farmers are apart of the NFU or most doctors apart of the BMA mean that the government are more likely to listen to a pressure group?
as their voice is therefore representative of a large section of society
What 6 reasons are against pressure groups?
- They are a sectional interest
- The better resourced pressure groups are at an advantage
- lobbying goes on behind closed doors, secrecy
- Groups are often oligarchic
- Threatening methods
- slow down decision making
What is a pressure group by definition?
a pressure group represents a number of broadly like minded citizens in society
In the same way that the NFU represents farmers and the NUM miners, how must the government govern?
in the national interest
What was Finer’s plee many years ago regarding the secrecy of lobbying?
“light, more light”
What does it mean by groups are often oligarchic?
their leadership is unrepresentative of the views of the membership
What did a change in the law force unions to hold elections for which position?
the General Secretary
How many groups have well developed electoral arrangements to link the rank and file to those who lead them?
very few
What year was Michaels’ “iron law of oligarchy”?
1911
