Pressure Groups

• an association of people who share specific political goals 
• seek either to defend or further the interests of a particular section of society 
• do not seek gov power, but merely influence the pol system
• seek to mobilise as wide a level of support as pos to further their goals

sectional: 

• represent a section of society 
• only interested in goals of the group 
• E.g. National Union of Students , Royal College of Nurses 

promotional:

• groups concerned with cause/issue 
• open to all members of scoiety 
• believe their cause will benefit community 
• E.g. Friends of the Earth, Unlock Democracy

groups that have special connections w/parliament and direct access to decision makers w/ the following characteristics:

• regularly consulted by parliamentary committees
• sometimes have reps sitting on policy/advisory committees 
• concerned w/ Europe & have directs access to EU Commission & EU parl
• regional groups have access to devolved admins
• local pressure groups have access to local authorities 
• E.G. National Union of Farmers, RSPCA, NSPCC

do not have direct access to gov or parliament, or decision makers because they choose to maintain their indep or, decision makers wish not to be associated w/them:

• seek to mobilise public support
• use direct action such as street demonstrations 
• seek use of media campaigns 
• increasingly use interenet & social networks 
• use petitions, often online 
• E.G. Greenpeace, Plane Stupid, Exit

• parties actively seek office/ power; PGs do not
• parties must develop policies across a range of issues; PGs have narrow goals 
• parties have to make themselves accountable; PGs do not
• parties have formal organisation; PGs loosely organised 

can be unclear as:

• PGs sometimes put candidates up for election to publicise goals
• PGs develop a wide range of policies, trade unions are an example
• PGs transform themselves into parites - Green Party & UKIP
• some PGs closely associated w/parties - trade unions & labour, Countryside Alliance & Tories 

a concept & description of a society or pol system:

• a variety of ideas and groups can flourish 
• can mean power within a pol system is widely dispersed and not concentrated in a few hands
• varitey of beliefs, cultures & lifestyles and ethnic groups can exist together and are broadly tolerated
• recognises the right of different groups to have influence & to recieve equal treatment

opposite of pluralism, mostly described as distribution of power within a pol system or society:

• concentration of pol, social or economic power within a few hands
• can describe a pol system within which a small no of indivds or bodies hold most of avaliable power
• implies that most groups in society are denied power of influence 

PGs enhance pluralism in these respects:

• disperse power and influence v.widely 
• ensure many groups exert pol influence 
• help to protect the interests of groups in society 
• balance power of centralised gov 

PGs can be associated w/ elitism in these senses:

• some powerful, wealthy, influential PGs may concentrate power in few hands
• influential insider groups may serve to concentrate more power in gov hands
• some PGs may be led by unaccountable elites
• some groups may hold a disproportionate amount of power 

• party membership in decline, PGs replace this activity 
• electorate is now better informed & more able to become involved in pol issues 
• interenet & new social media have made it practicle to mount campaigns & initiate new associations 
• number of PGs & their membership have sig increased 
• society more pluralistic and fragmented into groups which have special interests 
• pol system now more accessible to group activity, more points of access and MP's more sensitive to public opinion 
• growing affluence means pop have more interests & thus make more demands on pol system 

• lobbying ministers: insiders feel they can influence decisions and policy - Confederation of British Industry 
• sitting on advisory & policy committees in gov: can supply specialist info & advice - BMA
• lobbying EU institutions: most of their concerns are under juridiction of EU - National Farmers' Union 
• lobbying local councilors and officers: concerns are local in nature - local conservation groups
• organising mass public demonstrations: widespread support but are outsiders: stop Iraq war
• media campaigns: celebrity involvement - Joanna Lumley Justice for Ghurkas
• civil disobedience: outsiders need to attract publicity - Greenpeace
• internet campaigns: issues that appeal to the young - Friends of the Earth
• action through the law courts: rights of members are threatened - trade unions 

• Resources: finiancial & organisational, giving a group the ability & people to mount a campaign - Countryside Alliance organised demonstrations in LDN
• Insider Statues: being established in gov circles & well trusted - Action on Smoking & Health
• Tactics: groups may find a good formula for influencing gov and/or public support - Save England's Forests 
• Sharing the Same Agenda as Gov: helps when campaining for change - Confed of British Industry 
• Lack of Opposition: Make Poverty History 
• Favourable Circumstances: Action on Smoking & Health, helped by reductions in cases of lung cancer following anti-smoking legislation
• Celeb Involvement: Joanna Lumley & Justice for Ghurka's
• Strategic Position: British Bankers' Association 

• often rep groups and causes that may have been ingnored by pol parties 
• help to disperse power more widely, preventing dangerous concentrations of power 
• help to educate & inform about sig issues 
• help governing process by providing informed advice
• act as a control mechanism against over-mighty gov
• provide ways people can participate in pol at a time when traditional forms are in decline 
• provide an outlet for public grievances 'tension release'

• undermine authority of elected officials & parliament 
• rep politics of 'self-interest' and present public w/biased or false info
• if they are too powerful, can created 'hyper-pluralism' which can hold up process of gov by being too obstructive
• PGs lack elective legitimacy and are no democratically accountable
• those that engage in civil disobedience threaten order in society & subvert democ
• some wealth, influential PGs have more influence than justified
• leadership of elitist groups may not reflect accurately the views of their membership