Pressure Groups Flashcards
(69 cards)
What are the main type of pressure groups?
-interest groups
-Promotional groups
-Insiders
-Outsiders
What are interest groups?
-exist to protect or advance the interests of their members
-closed membership
-members are motivated by self interest (The BMA, the RMT union)
What are promotional groups?
-exist to promote a value, ideal or principle
-membership open to all
-members tend to be motivated by altruistic considerations (Greenpeace, RSPCA, Extinction Rebellion)
What are insider groups?
-enjoy regular contact with the government
-typically work behind the scenes, rather than engaging in high profile publicity stunts which could threaten the groups status
-tend to have mainstream goals (Confederation of British Industry, National Farmers union)
What are outsider groups?
-don’t have regular contact with the government
-often forced to engage in publicity stunts to move the cause up the political agenda
-often campaigning on issues rather than providing controversy (RMT union + Insulate Britain)
Why do people join pressure groups?
-representation: many not feel like they are being represented by the main political parties + often have minority interests
-to share personal beliefs
-participation: people wanting to get involved beyond elections
-material beliefs: many people join because of the benefits rather than the group itself (AA breakdown cover boosts membership BUT membership aren’t passionate about the issues + causes)
-need: job protection, joining a trade union (see it as the only way to achieve a desired goal)
What are the main functions of pressure groups?
-representation: parties provide territorial representation where are pressure groups provide function representation + important for minority groups who lack influence in the commons + act as a check on the tyranny of the majority
-participation: means that people can get involved between elections + provides a different for participation for this who have been disillusioned with main stream politics + pressure groups also have more specific aims than parties
-Education: raise awareness and inform the public + drawing attention to issues that may have otherwise gone unnoticed + they also provide evidence to the government and help to draft policy + gov is keen to work with pressure groups, as it the pressure group that will implement the legislation
What are access points?
-points at which pressure groups can exert pressure on decision makers
What access points are used by insider groups?
-executive branch: lobbying ministers (groups who can afford professional lobbyists), gov consolations on white/green paper bills + influence policy communities and policy networks as well as influencing secondary legislation
-legislative branch: select committees (can provide evidence at hearings) = PMBs (can lobby a MP to adopt a cause)
-political parties: donations (bossiness tend to have strong links with the conservatives and trade unions tend to have a strong link with labour)
-Judicial Branch: legal challenges (ultra vires) and legal interventions (group submit additional information for consideration in cases which affect their interest
What access points are used by outsider groups?
-Indirect lobbying: publicity stunts, social media, celebrity endorsement, e-petitions + tend to focus efforts on mobilising public opinions
-Direct Action (legal): strikes, sit-ins, boycotts and important method for trade unions tend
-Direct Action (illegal): harassment, property damage, trespassing
Why do pressure groups succeed?
-insider status
-wealth
-aims
-mass membership
-organisation
-expertise
-celebrity endorsement
How can insider status help a group succeed?
-the group can use its insider status and contacts to exert influence on ministers and civil servants
-in 2014 the Howard League for Penal Reform (insider, cause) successfully campaigned to end the ban on prisoners receiving books sent to them by family or friends
How can wealth help a group succeed?
-the group’s wealth enables it to afford lobbyists and/or advertising space
-2012 the British Bankers’ Association, now known as UK Finance (insider, interest) paid lobbyists to persuade ministers to cut corporation tax and taxes on banks’ overseas subsidiaries
How can aims help a group succeed?
-aligned with gov? ASH (insider, causal) has enjoyed success in recent years as its aims are strongly aligned with the major parties and the Department of Health
-popular? The RSPCA (insider, promotional) has considerable public support in its campaign against animal cruelty
-Realistic? Rather than attempt to pressure government to raise the national minimum wage, the Living Wage Foundation (outside, promotional) has enjoyed success by campaigning on an employer-by-employer basis
How can mass membership help a group succeed?
-means you can control a large section of the electorate and also have a number of people ready to take action
-RSPB (insider, promotional): 1 million
-Unite (outsider, interest): 1.4 million
How can organisation help a group succeed?
-effective management and coordination will allow a group to maximise its resources and target them effectively to help achieve its goals
-2021: the RMT Union (outsider, interest) organised a series of strikes to secure a bonus for members during the olympics
How can expertise help a pressure groups succeed?
-a pressure groups that has knowledge and expertise over a particular policy areas is more likely to be listened to and respected by gov, civil servants and the public
-2016 the AA (insider, promotional) provided evidence and statistics to persuade the gov to increase the penalties for using a mobile phone while driving
How can celebrity endorsement help a group succeed?
-a popular celebrity will generate press interest and raise the profile of a cause and may help draw members to the group
-Lumley’s support for Gurkha Justice Campaign (outsider, promotional) in 2009 secured publicity for the group which led to the Gurkha’s securing their right to settle in the UK
Why do pressure groups fail?
-aims to contradict gov policy
-gov is secure
-stronger opposition groups
-unpopular aims
-methods alienate the public
How do the aims of pressure group contradicting government policy affect a pressure group?
-if gov is determined to follow a policy then it is very difficult for a pressure group to persuade it to change course
-the conservative gov of 2015-17 was determined to introduce a ‘7-day NHS’ so the BMA’s (insider/outsider?, interest) campaign against the proposals largely failed
Why does government security mean that a pressure group will fail?
-strong gov will feel able to resist/ignore a group’s campaign
-The Stop the War Coalition (outsider, promotional) organised mass rallies against the Iraq War in 2003
-with large majority and cross-party support in parliament, Blair gov resisted the pressure and ignored the group
Why do stronger opposition groups mean that a pressure group will fail?
-a pressure group may campaign against another, more powerful or popular pressure group which ‘wins’ the debate
-pro-smoking group Forest (outsider, promotional) has failed to prevent restrictions on smoking in the UK largely because it lost out to a range of opposition groups ASH (insider, promotional) which has successfully campaigned for restrictions on smoking
Why do unpopular aims mean that a pressure group will fail?
-a group will likely fail if its campaigning for a cause that is unpopular with the public as the gov will be more inclined to follow popular feelings
-the Coalition for Marriage (outsider, promotional) failed in their campaign against gay marriage as public opinion war largely in favour of
Why does using methods that alienate the public mean that a pressure group will fail?
Public:
-a group may make itself unpopular by committing acts that alienate public opinion
-between 2013-14 the Fire Brigades Union (outsider, interest) faced widespread criticism for a series of strikes linked to a pensions dispute
-group using direct action methods that seriously disrupt the public are likely to face hostility
-2021 Insulate Britain faced widespread condemnation for blocking the M25
