Pressure Groups Flashcards
(16 cards)
pressure group
+ functions
a group of like-minded individuals who come together on the basis of shared interests in order to put pressure on policy makers
– Promoting its members interest to those in power
• action on smoking and health (ASH) argued for a smoking ban in public areas
~ professionals can supply strong factual arguments which improve the process of decision-making
~ provides expert advice
~ despite wealthy being unhappy, law was still passed 2007
– Represent a section of society
• help the aged represents a huge demographic of people (12,000,000 age 65+ in 2020 = supply a voice to the voiceless
~ those who feel excluded in decision-making can obtain a voice
~ pressure groups advocate for specific causes for different groups society
– Wider participation
• the NEU organised workers strikes for teachers in 2023
~ allow citizens to participate in politics all throughout the year
~ trade unions have large memberships
- lobbying + eg
- protest + eg
- petition
- direct action +eg
- consumer boycott +eg
- when organisations try to gain access to policy makers by using money or public support (e.g. Lord Alli donating £100,000 worth of clothes and tickets to Keir Starmer)
~ use money as form of persuasion, investing in politicians helps to receive contact to hear their problems
~ public support utilised to show policy makers that large numbers want change : pressure - public act of objection against political advantages (violent or peaceful) (black lives matter protest 2020)
~ shows large amount of support surrounds a particular cause, gain recognition - a written request appealing to authority about a particular cause, with the support of other people via signature
- trying to physically disrupt or prevent a certain practise in order to achieve one’s demands (can be illegal) open (just stop oil spraying paint over departure board at Heathrow airport)
~ How To Raise awareness and gain publicity - when customers stop buying from a particular company as a way of expressing disapproval (public stopped buying an items from McDonald’s and Starbucks for their said involvement in the Israel and Gaza conflict)
~ customers hope that these businesses realised the decline in purchases and then recognise that people were unhappy with certain activities of theirs
pressure groups are good for democracy
Yes:
- ‘clicktivism’ allows people to express views in little time
• 2011: 500,000 signed 38degrees’ petition to stop privatisation of British Forests
~ people capable of supporting the work of pressure groups with ease
~ practicality
- offers more effective representation of interests than parties, helps ensure policy choices fit people’s preferences
• 2014: 4.5mil members of environmental pressure groups and 124,000 members of Tory party
~ larger number has more power, political parties are forced to listen to the voices of the pressure groups
No:
- Lobbying is a popular form of influence that only the rich can participate in
• Lobbying industry worth £2billion per year
• Financial sector lobbied £93million in 2011
~ only the wealthy can influence policy makers
~ less democratic - less opportunities
- Parties rely on donations
• Labour accused of being on TUs payrolls + Tories being dependent on tycoons
~ leads to donors interests taking priority over society’s
- sectional group
- causal/promotional group
- insider group
- outsider group
- campaigns to further their own benefits, limited membership (National Farmers Union)
- campaigns for other’s interests that doesn’t directly benefit members - anyone can join (RSPCA)
- groups that have easy access to policy makers (Confederation of British Industry)
- group that have little contact with decision makers (Animal Liberation Front)
- core insider
- peripheral insider
- specialist insider
- potential insider
+ eg of insider status success and failure
- people with a strong relationship with policy makers over a wide range of issues and routinely consulted (British Medical Association)
- people who have low quality insider status and are rarely in contact with the government (Amnesty international)
- people granted with insider status but limited to a small area of expertise (National Education Union)
- generally new group yet to form links but may do in the future (Dogs Trust)
S • 2019 – the Queen’s speech regarding Police protection and Power bill and the establishment of police covenant was in part due to the lobbying by the police Federation
F • BMA failed to get pay rises with the Conservative government
- outsider by ideology
- outsider by necessity
- out of favour with decision makers as they have opposing political views / political dealignment (Con ignored BMAs cause for higher wages for junior doctors - strikes 18 months - Labour increased pay by 22%)
- pressure group committed to direct action (Fathers4Justice)
Aims of pressure groups + eg of success and failure
- practical achievability: the extent to which a groups goals are achievable in practice
- public receptivity: the extent to which the general public are sympathetic towards group aims
S • 2000 – protesters against raising fuel duty got the government to drop the plans thanks to public support. Cost the government £2 billion.
F • coalition for marriage, resists gay marriage and faces opposition for the gay rights community
Group resources
- Human resources: number or people/celebrity endorsement to put effort and work into group plans
- Material resources: money, land, equipment that is available to groups
Elitism
- power is concentrated in the hand of a select group of people , based on knowledge, experience and special skills (meritocratic element)
- endorses the idea that only a few people can be considered ‘movers’ of social change rather than majority of people
“powerelite” occupies dominant positions in gov, business and military, dictating all aspects of the fields by virtue of their economic control of major organisations in their country
Pluralism
– The state of having more than one of anything, suggesting the coexistence of many things (e.g. opinions, beliefs)
= Respect for diversity, applied in politics, ethics and education
• moral pluralism = there are varying ethical principles that conflict with each other yet each is worthy of respect
Pluralism VS elitism
pluralism:
– Wide range of views take into account
– Many impact on ways to participate
– Access to decision makers available to everyone
– Decisions taken by many
= Encourages people to get politically involved, strengthens democracy as everyone can engage in politics
• theorist Robert Dahl said pressure groups are good for democracy
elitism:
– Decisions made based on a small number of views
– Few opportunities to participate
– Access the decision-maker is based on wealth (e.g. lobbying)
= people don’t engage in policy due to few ,meaningless opportunities of participation, damages democracy as it’s focused on money
• theorist C.Wright Mills said pressure groups are bad for democracy
Taxonomy
Categorisation done by Oxford professor Wyn Grant
Access points
Any policy maker who is susceptible to lobbying
large membership success and failure
– Receives £ to campaign and lobby from memberships
S • the National Trust has a mainly middle class membership who have money and can engage with politicians
– Indicates popularity of course
F • the AA have many members but to gain benefits for breakdown insurance
– Not politically active and uninterested in causes
Celebrity endorsement success and failures
S • 2020 – Marcus Rashford campaign for free school meals for poor children. It grew apart and forced the government into policy. Could be related to expertise as Rashford grew up poor and relied on free school meals.
– Raises campaign profile
– Celebrities have more power when now due to social media
F • Elton John publicly favoured labour however people were not persuaded
Media support success and failure example
S • 2014 – media support helped Howard League for pen out reform by overturning a government ban on banning books in prison
– Raises public awareness
F • just stop oil stunts (e.g. Pouring orange paint onto airport boarding screens) had poor reflections in public support and so less successful
– Coverage can be negative
– May not persuade public/Gov , attention doesn’t equal success
