pressure groups

Question 1

define pressure groups

Answer 1

they are political organisations that do not run in elections, who try to influence public policy in the interest of a particular cause

Question 2

how are pressure groups an example of pluralism in democracy

Answer 2

because it shows political power being distributed across society and give members of the public a voice within politics

Question 3

Give me 3 reasons why people join pressure groups

Answer 3

*lack of representation within the government ( example is gay rights)
* belief and passion about a certain topic (example is environment)
* GAIN ( example of this is national trust

Question 4

give me 3 factors that would contribute to a succeeding pressure group

Answer 4

• membership size
• wealth
  *status

Question 5

What is an insider group

Answer 5

pressure groups that have close ties and contact with the government - often represent well - resourced powerful groups that can be helpful to government legisllation making

Question 6

What is an outsider group

Answer 6

pressure groups that do not have close ties with the government - often more radical and take direct action

Question 7

What is an interest group

Answer 7

pressure groiups that defend and advance the interest of their members - e.g trade unions or business groups

Question 8

What is a promotional group

Answer 8

Pressure groups that are set out to achieve a certain set of aims such as nuclear disarmament

Question 9

give an example of an insider pressure group

Answer 9

The national trust

Question 10

Give an example of when an insider pressure group recieved a government grant

Answer 10

National Heritage Memorial Fund

Question 11

How does the National trust work as a pressure group

Answer 11

2011 - took strong public stance against changes to land - use planning in england

Question 12

What are 3 advantages of insider pressure groups

Answer 12

1. well resourced and funded
2. can have direct influence over legislation
3. often invited to take part and gove evidence in select or publlic bill committees

Question 13

How can insider groups have direct influence over legislation

Answer 13

during green paper legislation often thhe detailed technical needed by effective laws lies with insider groups not whitehall

Question 14

Give an example of an insider group taking part in parliament committees

Answer 14

2013 - The Kings Fund gave evidence to the health select committee on an inquiry into emergency services and care

Question 15

Give 3 disadvantages of insider groups

Answer 15

1. ‘policy entrapment’
2. should not play a part in legislation as they are most affected by the laws they are making
3. pressure groups are limited in their involvement in the campaigning process

Question 16

what are 3 functions of pressure groups

Answer 16

1. scrutinise government
2. political debate
3. political representation

Question 17

Give an example of how pressure groups carry out their role of political debate

Answer 17

During the debate for a third runway at heathrow - (NoTRAG) No Third Runway at Heathrow Airport argued against these plans

Question 18

Give an example of a pressure group preforming political representation

Answer 18

The Police Federation

Question 19

What is an outsider pressure group

Answer 19

a pressure group thats much less likely to have close ties with the government

Question 20

Give an example of an outsider group preforming direct action

Answer 20

july 2015 - pressure group Plane Stupid cut the fence at heathrow and chained themselves together on the runway resulting in 25 flights being cancelled

Question 21

Give 3 examples of outsider pressure groups

Answer 21

1. farthers 4 justice - campaigns for farthers rights after divorce or breakup
2. Militant aimal welfare groups - protest against animal testing
3. 2010 70 UK Uncut activists stormed vodaphone on oxford street over claims that vodaphone had dodged £6 billion in tax

Question 22

Give 3 advantages of outsider pressure groups

Answer 22

1. high profile protest make the headlines so publicity promotes the cause
2. Have the freedom to act without being constrained to ties with the government
3. Direct action can result in prosecution showing members devotion to the cause

Question 23

What are 3 disadvantages of outsider pressure groups

Answer 23

1. Publicity can be due to disruption caused by direct action - would deter people from supporting
2. those who are prosecuted may be labelled as extremists which will not favour pressure group
3. insider groups take the form of a ‘critical friend’ whereas outsider groups do not have any influence over policy with no ties to government

Question 24

CASE STUDY

explain the extinction rebellion

Answer 24

XR is high profile holacratic pressure group that demands the government to act on our climate and ecological emergency
take non-violent direct action such as blocking a road on trefalgar square august 2018
demand the government to declare national emergency, act now for net zero emissions by 2025 and government must be led by a citizens assembly on climate and ecological justice

Question 25

# CASE STUDY has the extinction rebellion been sucessful in their goals?

Answer 25

May 2019- corbyn called the government to declare a national climate emergency on opposition day in 2017 8% of voters said the environment was an important factor of their choice compared to 26% in 2019 argued for a citizens assembly and was supported by 6 select committees for this to be put into place

Question 26

Give 3 reasons why pressure groups promote elitism

Answer 26

1. many of the marginalised and poorly resourced groups of society lack any groups with influence to represent them 2. powerful and well resourced groups often 'have the ear' of parliament and can manipulate legislation 3. coorperate businesses such as big banks - especially those who politically donate - are too big to confront with pressure groups

Question 27

Give 3 reasons why pressure groups promote pluralism

Answer 27

1. social media has allowed pressure group without financial resources to communicate their message to large numbers 2. government wants to stay on touch with voters e.g. hearing out climate change pressure groups and taking on the big industry groups who may wish to continue using fossil fuels 3. in a democracy argueable no group is too powerful to be untouchable e.g. BMA strike action in 2015 to health reforms where criminal bar association lobbying did not work

Question 28

Give 3 reasons how pressure groups help democracy

Answer 28

1. represent virtually every group e.g. mental health and membership are sometimes larger than party membership 2. provide popular forums for campaigning and political participation e.g. stop the war march - 1million 3. pressure groups have internanl structures that are democratic e,g, secret trade union votes after 1980 reforms

Question 29

Give 3 reasons how pressure groups harm democracy

Answer 29

1. many pressure groups may shout the loudest but are not the must representative of public opinion 2. some pressure groups are dominated by powerful individuals - disagreements lead to splits e.g. XR to Beyond Politics Party in 2020 3. large scale participation is rare and many members may be 'chequebook members' who join fo rthe benefits

Question 30

Give 4 reasons for pressure group sucess

Answer 30

1. intune with government policy and manifesto 2. Celebrity endorsement 3. insider status 4. Achievability of aims

Question 31

Give an example of a pressure group that was in tune with government policy and manifesto

Answer 31

1997 blair government policy focused on tackling child poverty so Child Poverty Action Group found it easy to excersize influence

Question 32

Give an example of celebrity endorsement in a pressure group

Answer 32

2020 Man U player Marcus Rashford led a sucessful campaigns for free-school meals for children in low-income families which forced government into 2 policy U turns

Question 33

Give an example of a pressure group suceeding by its insider status

Answer 33

2019 queens speech announced the police protections and power bill and the establishment of a police covenant was due to lobbying by police federation pressure group

Question 34

Give an example of how the achievability of the aims of a pressure group has led to a sucess

Answer 34

2000 protesters against raising the fuel duty suceeded gov policy U turn cost £2 million in revenue there was lots of support for the campaign and their goal was narrow and achievable protests caused NHS crisis and empty supermarket shelves and closing schools

Question 35

Give 3 reasons for pressure group failure

Answer 35

1. groups that are too extreme 2. groups that are going up against a hostile political climate 3. strong countervailing forces

Question 36

Give an examle of a pressure group that was too extreme

Answer 36

Anti-capitalist groups such as the Occupy movement

Question 37

Give an example of a pressure group going up against a hostile political climate

Answer 37

stop the war 2003 rally was going up against a huge government majority, conservative support and Blairs own devotion to the policy

Question 38

Give an example of pressure groups facing strong countervailing forces

Answer 38

coalition for marriage VS Stonewall (resistance of same-sex marrige VS gay rights)

Question 39

What are pressure participants

Answer 39

loose term for many groups that seek to influence policy but are not old-style structured with membership like a pressure group

Question 40

What are 4 examples of pressure particpants

Answer 40

1. coorperations 2. lobbying 3. think tanks 4. media

Question 41

How can coorperations be pressure particpants

Answer 41

constantly in contact with government as they pay considerable tax and provide jobs

Question 42

Give an example of a coorperation being pressure particpants

Answer 42

during brexit, motor manufactureus such as BMW and Nissan lobbied the government for a trade deal that would resemble a single-market

Question 43

Give an example of coorperations not succeeding in being pressure participants

Answer 43

March 2020 Budget, 2% digital sales tax on the UK despite opposition form powerful amazon and Google

Question 44

How can lobbyists be pressure participants

Answer 44

provide advice for campaigning and arrange meetings with ministers a number of former MP's often go to work in these sectors 'revolving door'

Question 45

Give an example of lobbyists being pressure partipants

Answer 45

Small lobbying firm morgan roberts worked with charity Jo's cervical Cancer TRust between 2006 and 2008 to campaign to protect young women from the leading cause of cervical cancer the policy was adopted in 2008

Question 46

What are Think Tanks

Answer 46

they undertake policy research which is published and used to push some policy positions

Question 47

Give an example of a think tank being privately funded

Answer 47

Lord Sainsbury donated £260,000 in 2016 to PROGRESS - a centurist labour think tank

Question 48

Give an example of a think tank sucessfully being a pressure participant

Answer 48

November 2012 think tank: Policy exchange - took credit for elected police officer commissioners being put in place

Question 49

How has the circulation of newspapers decreased since 1992

Answer 49

between 1992 and 2019 the circulation of newspapers roughly halved

Question 50

Give an example of pressure group direct action resulting in prosecution

Answer 50

April 2019 - Extinction Rebellion large scale civil disobedience across central london including occupying key locations such as oxford circus over 1100 people were prosecuted for breaching the 1986 Public Order Act