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Flashcards in Pressure Groups Deck (18)
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1
Q

Are PGs becoming more powerful? YES

A

GROWTH IN PROPORTIONAL GROUPS

  • Membership of many promotional groups dwarfs that of parties eg RSPB (1 mill members) membership larger than combined membership of 3 main parties.
  • Cyberactivism- Political action based on use of ‘new’ technology.
  • Examples of political protest- left and right wing

MORE ACCESS POINTS

  • Devolution
  • Human Rights Act (1998) increased PGs activity focused on courts-benefit groups that represent ethnic minorities
  • European integration.

GLOBALIZATION
-Emergence of NGOs

2
Q

Are PGs becoming more powerful? NO

A

END OF CORPORATISM

  • Corporatism- incorporation of key economic groups into the process of gov, creating a partnership between gov, business and labour.
  • High point of PGs in 1970 as period of corporatism
  • Thatcher gov dismantled corporatism as they had suspicion over Trade Unions.

DECLINE IN MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION
-Group members may have increased but members have become increasingly more passive eg checkbook participation.

3
Q

Positive functions of PGs

A

PARTICIPATION- Individuals can participate in local, national and global politics
PUBLIC EDUCATION
REPRESENTATION- Provide voice for groups not adequately represented by electoral process.
-PGs focus on more specific issues.
-Some argue functional representation (representation of groups based on their function within society)will take over formal representative process.
POLICY MAKING
LOBBYING- Groups can engage to provide info to the gov on areas in which they’re experts eg RSPB.

4
Q

How do insider and outside groups campaign?

A

INSIDER

  • Sponsorship of MPs
  • Direct lobbying of ministers
  • Party Donations

OUTSIDER

  • Sectional groups may strike (National Rail 2005)
  • Petitions/ E-petitions
  • Internet campaigns
  • Lobbying on single issues
  • Illegal activities
5
Q

Outsider Groups

A

Outsider group- Not consulted by gov regularly

POTENTIAL INSIDER GROUPS
-Aspire to insider status eg Countryside Alliance

OUTSIDER GROUPS BY NECESSITY
-Lacking political knowledge and skills to become insider groups.

IDEOLOGICAL OUTSIDER GROUPS

  • Radical aims not compatible with gov
  • Members attracted to tactics of direct action eg Animal Liberation front.
6
Q

PGs VS Politcal Parties

A

PGs

  • Seek to exert influence
  • Narrow issue focus
  • Shared interests

POLITCAL PARTIES

  • Seek to win power
  • Broad issue focus
  • Shared preferences
7
Q

Sectional (interest) groups

A

A group that represents a particular section of society: workers, employers, consumers.

FEATURES

  • Concerned to protect/advance interests of members.
  • Membership limited to people in particular occupation, career or economical position.
  • Motivated by material self interest.

EXAMPLES

  • Trade Unions
  • Business Corporations
  • Trade Assosiations
  • BMA
8
Q

Promotional (cause/attitude/ issue) groups

A

A group that exists to advance particular values, ideals and principles.

FEATURES

  • Seek to advance particular ideals and principles
  • Membership is open to all.
  • Members motivated by moral or altruistic concerns (BETTERMENT OF OTHERS)

EXAMPLES

  • Friends of earth
  • Green Peace.
9
Q

Promotional Vs Sectional

A

PROMOTIONAL

  • Promote issues
  • Open membership
  • Moral concerns-a group ‘for’
  • Benefit others or wider society

SECTIONAL GROUPS

  • Defend interests
  • Closed membership
  • Material Concerns- a group ‘of’
  • Benefit members only.
10
Q

Insider groups

A

A group that regularly consults with gov.

HIGH PROFILE INSIDER GROUP
-Operate both behind the scenes and through the mass media and public opinion campaigns eg BI, NFU

LOW PROFILE INSIDER GROUPS

  • Focus on developing contact with gov
  • Rarely seek to influence wider public eg Howard League for Penal Reform

PRISONER GROUP
-Dependent of gov (may fund or created them)
eg Commission For Equality and Human Rights.

11
Q

Negative Functions of PGs

A

REPRESENTATION
-Low internal democracy=express the views of their leader and not members.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

  • Group membership does not always involve participation
  • Checkbook groups EG National Trust

MAKING POLICY

  • Only insider groups involved in policy formulation
  • Groups should not form policies as unelected and not pubically accountable

EDUCATION
-Every bit as biased as political parties

12
Q

How PGs exert influence: Ministers and Civil Servants

A

-Gov is where power is

Gov consult PGs for 3 reasons

1) Aquire specialised knowledge and advice to form policy process.
2) Gain cooperation (of important groups)
3) Gauge reaction of affected groups to proposed policy

Meetings with ministers allow PGs to exert influence directly where policy is made.

13
Q

How PGs exert influence: Parliament (LOBBYING)

A

PARLIAMENT (LOBBYING)

  • For groups without access to executive
  • Lobbyist seek to make contact with MPs-providing them with briefing and information packs.

GROWN IN IMPORTANCE DUE TO:

1) More independently minded BBs
2) Introduction of departmental select comittees.
3) Growing use of professional lobbyists
4) Partially reformed HOL more assertive

14
Q

How PGs exert influence: Political Parties

A

POLITICAL PARTIES
-Influencing politcal parties and party policy can lead to influence on government policy because in UK gov are formed from leading in HOC

FUNDING & DONATIONS

  • Trade Unions- funding declined from 3/4 to 1/3
  • 2 major parties get most their funding from business and wealthy individuals
15
Q

How PGs exert influence: Public Opinion

A

PUBLIC OPINION
-Indirectly push issues up political agenda and demonstrating public support for an issue in hope gov will pay attention for fear of suffering electoral consequences.

MARCHES, PUBLIC PETITIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS

  • Campaigning for Nuclear Disarment
  • Used more widely
  • Attract media and therefore gain wider influence
  • Outcome of 1974 and 1979 general election affected by miners strike

INFORMED PUBLIC OPINION
-Exert influence via informed classes (magazines,daily press) people best placed to sway MPs and minsters.

16
Q

How PGs exert influence: Direct Action

A

DIRECT ACTION

  • Political action that is direct in that it imposes sanctions that affect government or running of country.
  • Often but not necessarily illegal

NON-VIOLENT
-Civil-disobedience eg strikes, blockades, boycotts, sit ins (Greenham Womens Peace Campaign)

VIOLENT

  • SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty)
  • Harras staff intimidation, damaged property
  • Companys financial health has been severely damaged.
17
Q

Elitism VS Pluralism

A

ELITISM

  • Theory political power is concentrated in the hands of a few, an elite
  • Debate that PGs concentrate power, strengthening the already powerful

PLURALISM

  • Theory power is widely and evenly dispersed through society
  • Pluralists have +’ve view of PGs
18
Q

What makes PGs powerful

A

WEALTH- Most powerful= most wealthy eg Business Groups
-Posses financial strength to employ professional lobbyists and make donations to parties.

SIZE- Large groups claim to represent public opinionand their members have electoral impact.

  • More members=more subscriptions and donations=wealthy groups
  • Lead to checkbook groups

ORGANIZATION OF LEADERS

  • Helps groups to mobolize their resources and take concerted action.
  • Organization requires financial resources and high quality leadership

GOVERNMENT VIEWS- Ideological outsiders have little chance of changing policy

PUBLIC SUPPORT- Public support= greater political influence= not always works

EFFECTIVENESS OF OPPOSITION- Anti smoking campaign defeated by funded tobacco lobby that made donations by tories.