Uni 9: Pressure Groups Flashcards
(20 cards)
Promotional/cause groups
Also known as issue groups, promoting a cause, belief or value, raising awards of issues to promote legislaiton and policy in favour of their cause which are typically outsider groups e.g. greenpeace
Sectional groups
Also known as interest groups, representing a section of society with a formal membership, concerning themselves with specific issues relevant to that group of people as they believe that this would benefit the wider community which are more likely to be insider groups e.g. trade union congress representing 6.5 million workers
Insider groups
Direct links with decision makers in government - early access to legislation, expertise taken into acccount, recruit lobbyists to promote interests, make connections with politicians, advise gov sub committees, testify before parliamentary committees
Outsider groups
Set away from parliamentary committees due to the govenrment distancing themselves or they dont want to be linked with the governmet - campaign, target large numbers of population, use high profile methods, civil disobedience, mass strikes
Types of outsider groups?
- Potential insiders - outsiders who want to be insiders but dont have enough experience and connections but this can be achieved through a long peaceful camapgin e.g. Gurkha justice campaign spent 4 years lobbying Blair and brown to give equal rights to all Gurkhas to settle in the uk permanently, Joanna lumley joined camapgin in 2008 and in 2009 gov supported their cause due to high publicity
- Outsiders by necessity - have to be outsiders due to nature of their tactics or their cause law breaking or violent actions as the gov dont want to show that illegality can achieve positive outcomes e.g. camapgin for nuclear disarmament who want to the costly replacement of the trident nuclear submarine which contradicts gov policy directly
- Outsiders by choice - choose to stay out og gov and establishment to be idnepdent and critique politics and avoid a relationship with gov that may threaten neutrality e.g. liberty and amnesty international
Positives and negatives of outsider groups?
-High profile and illegal protests can make the headlines which can raise publicity and promote their cause BUT this may lead to disruption and generate negative publicity and put off potential supporters
-Direct action like striking or closing down airports can lead to fines or imprisonment which shows how committed the supporters are of the cause, showing them as passionate BUT this could generate bad attention and the pasritpcaitors may be labelled as extremists
-They have a freedom to act and take policy stances without being constrained by close ties with gov BUT close ties and regular consultation enjoyed by insider groups may lead to influence on policy making which takes the form of a critical friend
-Some achieve insider status through a change in gov or change in public attitudes BUT many will never achieve this stays and some are outsiders by choice
Types of insider groups?
- Core insiders - groups like the NFU who have a bilateral relationship with policy makers over a broad range of issues - usually trade unions but this was limited in new Labour
- Specialist insiders - insider status but in one area where their specialist knowlegde is retained e.g. BMA or RSPCA
- Peripheral insiders - insider status but rarely needed by gov due to their cause e.g. the SANDS managed to get the definition of still birth lowered from 28-24 weeks in the stillbirt act 1992 and thos was a rare occasion
- Prisoner groups - impossible to break away from insider status becuase they rely on gov funding or are a public pud e.g. historic England which is funded via the department for culture, media and sport which makes it harder for them to resist transport projects like the HS2 that impact landscap and historic buildings which they aim to protect
Positives and negatives of pressure groups?
-They have good channels of communication with the gov which can enable lobbying before legislation is created to ensure that their views are incorpoarated BUT this may mean that they don’t criticise or speak out against the poltical establishment which diminishes their freedom and independence (called policy entrancement)
-Well resourced and funded so thye hire professional lobbyists and sponsor relevant APPGs BUT these don’t guarantee success and they arent allowed political campaigns and are limited in their involvement in campaigns
-They take part in and give evidence to select or public bill committees e.g. 2013, the kings fund have evidence to the health select committee inquiry into emergency care BUT other groups also give evidence not just insider e.g. 2020 the UK cladding action group is an outsider group that gave evidence to the communities select committee as they launched an inquiry in the cladding used on tower blocks after Grenfell tower fire
-Trade unions have ties with parties who can also be important donors BUT when the party isn’t in office, the pressure groups have few access points so many prefer to keep parties separate to maintain good terms with many
Functions of pressure groups?
- Education - Inform public on key interests and social issues, raise public awareness, and provide information and knowledge to decision-makers
- Representation - Represent specific interests of a community or minority groups who feel they aren’t fully represented within government
- Political participation - Crucial part of civil society to ensure limited governmental power and enable participation in politics outside of traditional (i.e. voting)
- Policy formation - Promote causes that have been overlooked by political parties, and pass on expert knowledge to influence policy-making decisions
- Policy implementation - Hold government to account for tackling certain issues and interests, and put policy in place suitable to the needs of all citizens
Successes of pressure groups?
-More availability of funds means more resources can be put into campaigning - can employ lobbyists
-some have leverage to influence policy as they are a fundamental part of the economy e.g. NHS pressure groups like BMA
-high support and more members means more support for he public so higher likely to succeed e.g. age uk has large membership
-the public may have leanings in favour and support their cause so they can become more well known e..g anti smoking, pro health campaigns can wide support e.g. BMA
-attitude of government can impact like a sympthahetic gov
Successes of failures groups?
-countervailing groups (gorups advocating for the opposite of the pressure group and have more power) which can dominate debate and overshadow other grous e.g. plane stupid which are anti airport expansion are overshadowed by powerful businesses
-small groups
-limited funds means they may be overshadowed
-some groups may be opposed greatly and the majority of the public may oppose them due their methods or the cause they fight for e.g. extinction rebellion or women for Scotland
-unsympathetic gov e.g. tories with unions may limit influence
Pressure gorups enhance demcoracy?
-Allows for wider influence and dispersal of power from government to citizens
-Representing minority issues and interests that are side-lined or not typically taken up in government
-Enables citizens to participate in politics through groups
-Raises public awareness, bringing important issues to light
-Checks the accountability of government, ensuring the government represents the interests of the people who elected it
Pressure groups undermine demcoracy?
-Wealthier groups have more political access and resources than other groups which can be unfair
-Pressure groups can be elitist or non-representative
-Misrepresentation of interests to influence public opinion or policy decisions
-‘INTERNALLY UNDEMOCRATIC’ - Groups may not properly represent the interests of their members, but the interests of those in control of the group
-Representation of minority interests over those of the majority
Hyperpluralism
A quickly growing number of pressure groups make it difficult for governance to meet all demands upon it
What type of pressure gorup is the British medical association? When was it created? What are its aims? What are its methods?
-Specialist insider group - consulted by the government because they have expertise in health and medicine
-Created in: 1832 to act as a trade union for doctors and advance medical science and set professional standards
-Aims: represent the interests of doctors and medical students, improve public health, have a well funded NHS, maintain high standards of medical education, campaign for better working conditions and better pay for doctors
-Methods: lobbying government ministers and civil servants, provide expert advice to committees, public campaigns (e.g. on junior doctors’ working conditions), organise strikes (e.g. junior doctors’ strikes in 2015–16 and 2023–24), research policy recommendations, media engagement to raise public awareness
What are the positive and negative impacts of the british medical association on democracy?
Positive impacts on democracy:
-improves policy by offering expert advice on health issues
-represents the voice of doctors
-ensuring that their concerns are considered in policymaking
-raises public awareness of health-related issues (e.g. smoking bans, NHS funding, safe working hours)
Negative impacts on democracy:
-they have more access to decision-makers than the general public or less powerful groups which potentially undermines equal representation
-strikes and industrial action can disrupt public services
-raising ethical and democratic concerns
What are the successes and failures of the british medical association?
Successes:
-Ban on smoking in public places (2007): lobbied for this which resulted in major public health improvement
-Opposing government reforms to the NHS (2012): it influenced changes to the Health and Social Care Act, which led to some amendments that reduced potential harm to NHS services
-Raising awareness on junior doctors’ working conditions (2015–16 & 2023–24): their campaigns put pressure on the government and led to public debate about staff shortages, pay, and NHS pressure and in 2024, negotiations resumed after BMA industrial action, forcing the government to engage in talks on pay and contracts
Failures:
-Junior doctors’ strikes (2015–16): they failed to stop the government from imposing new contracts, it led to concerns over patient safety because of the absence of doctors
-Limited influence during COVID-19 early response (2020): it raised concerns over PPE shortages and staff safety, but the government was slow to respond
-2023–24 junior doctor pay disputes: negotiations stalled multiple times, and pay increases fell short of their demands
What type of pressure gorup is the British medical association? When was it created? What are its aims? What are its methods?
-Promotional outsider group
-Created in: 2018, climate change, ecological collapse and the need for gov action
-aims: gov must tell truth about climate change, Net zero by 2025, Creation of citizens assembly to guide climate policy
-Methods: Non violent direct action, Road and bridge blockades, Occupation of public spaces, Mass arrests as a deliberate strategy to highlight urgency
What are the positive and negative impacts of extinction rebellion on democracy?
Positive impacts on democracy:
-Increases Political Engagement
-Raises Awareness and encourages Public Debate through disruptive, non violent protests
-it promotes a deliberative democracy, advocating for citizens’ assemblies
-it is a democratic corrective force by scrutinising the gov and keeping them in check
Negative impacts on democracy:
-Disruption of Public Life and Services through blocking roads and public transport, which can alienate the public
-it openly defies laws to draw attention - may erode respect for democratic institutions and the rule of law
-no direct electoral mandate
-It can deepen divisions and provoke backlash, potentially undermining support for environmental policies and damaging social cohesion
What are the successes and failures of extinction rebellion?
Successes:
-it pushed climate change onto the political agenda e.g. in May 2019, after mass protests in London, parl declared a climate emergency and normalised discussions of net-zero targets (by 2050)
-it has brought climate issues to mainstream attention in dramatic ways e.g. 2019 London protests disrupted major areas like Waterloo Bridge leading to publicity
-it spread rapidly to over 75 countries, demonstrating its global resonance e.g. 2019 International Rebellion Week included actions in Paris and NY
Failures:
-alienate the Public as they are seen as disruptive and elitist e.g. 2019 they climbed on top of London Underground trains in working-class areas like Canning Town during rush hour led to a drop in public approval after
-it has not directly caused major policy changes aligned with its goals as they’re unrealistic e.g. originally demanded net-zero by 2025, but most governments (including the UK) have stuck to the more moderate 2050 target
-criticism over lack of diversity and strategy - ‘too white’ and ‘middle class’, with insufficient representation of those most affected by climate crisis
-2019 the Metropolitan Police banned their protests in London under the Public Order Act, raising civil liberties concerns and leading to legal disputes
