.Factors Affecting Pressure Groups & EU Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in .Factors Affecting Pressure Groups & EU Deck (35)
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1
Q

What 5 factors depend on a pressure groups success?

A

a) Groups aims
b) Group status
c) Group methods
d) Group specialism and expertise
e) Group resources

2
Q

What is an example of high and low achievability of a pressure groups aim?

A

high - renovating a children’s play area

low - securing a global ban on nuclear power

3
Q

What is an example of high and low public receptivity of a pressure groups aim?

A

high- saving an endangered species

low - improving conditions in prisons

4
Q

What are the two types of group status as an example?

A

insider/outsider

5
Q

What are examples of bad and good pressure group methods for attempting to change policy ?

A

good - lobbying the executive

bad - illegal direct action

6
Q

Name 3 examples of pressure groups with group specialism and expertise

A
  • RoSPA
  • RSPB
  • Electoral Reform Society
7
Q

What are the 2 types of a pressure groups resources?

A
  • Human

- Material

8
Q

What 3 benefits are there from the size of a groups human resources?

A
  • size of membership as a large membership can help provide finance
  • bigger groups can organise more effective mass campaigns
  • benefits of skilled members (PR skills, practical skills, legal expertise)
9
Q

Why is material resources important for a pressure group in particular ?

A

-membership groups often rely on membership fees

10
Q

Other than money, what are other examples of material resources? (3)

A
  • equipment
  • office space
  • virtual assets e.g registered domain names on the internet
11
Q

Why are some insider groups unlikely to publicise the extent of their influence?

A

for fear of alienating the government and losing their status

12
Q

What is a disadvantage of high profile protests and students which appear impressive?

A

they only succeed rare in changing policy

13
Q

During the Fuel Protests in 2000, who did the government choose to speak to ?

A

the Road Hauliers’ Association rather than those organisation the protest

14
Q

When do pressure groups turn to the European Union?

A
  • when they are faced with a national government unsympathetic for their cause
  • when their section interest or cause is supranational
15
Q

What 2 reasons do environmental pressure groups have for going to the European Union

A

1) environmental issues by definition do not respect national boundaries
2) the EU is already committed to environmental protection

16
Q

Why is the fact that environmental issues by definition do not respect national boundaries a reason for environmental pressure groups to go to the European Union?

A

because it therefore makes sense to deal with issues at a European or international level rather than simply at national level

17
Q

Why is the fact that the EU is already committed to environmental protection a reason for environmental pressure groups to go to the European Union?

A

as the EU are therefore more sympathetic to the aims and objectives of many environmental pressure groups than are national governments

18
Q

Why would it be more advantageous for pressure groups in the broad areas of economic and environmental policy to target their policies at the EU?

A

as the proliferation of the Europe-wide regulation provides an opportunity for real influence not often afforded to pressure groups at national level

19
Q

On what 2 issues in particular have pressure groups improved though working through the EU

A
  • water quality

- sewage pollution

20
Q

What pressure group have brought about great changes through targeting the EU to put the national government under pressure?

A

SAS

Surfers Against Sewage

21
Q

What policy regarding England’s beaches have had the effect of raising the public profile of the EU?

A

-The policy of awarding blue flags for clean beaches

22
Q

what type of group have their interest remain better funded and better equipped than most environmentalists?

A

Business interests

23
Q

Under what Act has European law taken precedent over our national laws where the two are in conflict?

A

European Communities Act 1972

24
Q

What is an advantage for pressure groups as a direct result of the European Communities 1972?

A

Pressure groups can force change on their national governments by going over their heads

25
Q

Since what date have decisions made by the Council of Ministers been increasingly taken under by a system of Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) rather than unanimity?

A

1986

26
Q

What does it mean for pressure groups since by 1986 decisions made by the Council of Ministers have been increasingly taken under by a system of Qualified Majority Voting rather than unanimity?

A

Groups have to work to build up a broader European support rather than simply lobbying there own government to block measures using national veto

27
Q

How is QMV (from 1986) a benefit for pressure groups?

A

a UK based group can campaign for a measure effecting the UK knowing that the UK government alone cannot prevent it from happening using the national veto

28
Q

What are ‘Eurogroups’?

A

where like-minded pressure groups aggregate their efforts into forming a Eurogroup

29
Q

What is the most prominent advantage of Eurogroups? (2)

A

they possess sufficient resources

represent a large enough ‘consistency’ for their views to be heard

30
Q

What has a massive appetite for information and recognises Eurogroups as a legitimate source of information

A

the European Commission

31
Q

What fully legitimises a Eurogroup but is however difficult to attain?

A

a permanent office in Brussels

32
Q

What Eurogroup , as an example, has a permanent office in Brussels?

A

the National Farmers Union

33
Q

What Eurogroup is the National Famers Union a member of as well as having a permanent office in Brussels?

A

COPA-COGECA

34
Q

What is the COPA COGECA?

A

COPA- is the umbrella organisation representing the main agricultural organisations in the EU
COGECA is the equivalent organisation for agricultural cooperatives

35
Q

What is the membership of the COPA COGECA?

A

100 member organisations representing around 15 million farmers across the EU