Pressure%20Groups

1
Pressure Groups

• How much influence do they have?

2
What are Pressure Groups?

• Pressure groups are informal political
  institutions that seek to influence the making
  and the implementation of public policy

3
What do they do?

• They cover a broad spectrum from the large
  business with high level contacts at national and
  European level to the smallest local group
• Can you name any Pressure Groups based on this
  information?

4
How do they influence?

• Secret behind the scenes lobbying of politicians
  and influential figures
• Wynn Transport
• Or
• Highly visible protests
• Fathers for Justice
• Make Poverty History

5
Did you know..

• More people belong to Pressure Groups than
  political parties?
• The study of Pressure Groups and influence is
  essential in understanding how the system works
• Can you think of any ways PGs are similar or
  ways they are different to Political parties?

6
Pressure Groups are different from political
parties because

• They do not normally contest elections
• When they do, they do not aim to form a
  Government
• Their campaigns are based on single issue policies

7
Pressure Groups are similar to political parties
because

• They are based on representation and
  participation
• They form a mechanism for the expression of
  peoples interests
• They influence Government and Government policy
• Provide funds
• Sponsor candidates
• Influence the shaping of policies

8
Types of Pressure Group

• Sectional Groups
• Based on the performance of an economic function
• i.e. CBI, BMA, Law Society, NUT
• Cause Groups
• Based on shared attitudes and values
• i.e. Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Shelter
  Charter 88 etc.

9
Differences explained
Membership Purpose Extras
Sectional Groups Limited to a shared background To protect interests of members May pursue other causes i.e. BMA Ban Smoking
Cause Groups Those sharing same background Advance public welfare as perceived by members Owns premises and employs staff
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Insider vs Outsider groups

• Insider Groups Consulted on a regular basis by
  Government
• Outsider Groups Either do not want to be
  closely involved or are unable to gain Government
  recognition

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Insider Groups

• High Profile Re-inforce contacts with
  Government through media contact
• Low Profile Behind the scenes contact with
  Government
• Prisoner Groups Unable to break free as either
  dependent on Government or public sector

12
Outsider Groups

• Potential Insider Groups seeking insider
  status, a change of Government can change status
  i.e. Countryside Alliance
• Outsider by necessity Lack the political skills
  to succeed
• Ideological outsiders Objectives are at a
  varaince to social and political norms i.e. CND,
  ALF etc.

13
Political Relations with PGs

• 1979-1997 Conservative Govts, saw PGs as
  Strangling Serpants Douglas Hurd
• Curtailed TU powers
• Won great industrial battles such as 1984 Miners
  Strike
• Professionals groups such as Doctors and Teachers
  were seen as in need of radical reform therefore
  influence denied
• Independent Schools, Private Health suppliers and
  housing associations flourished

14
Blair

• The exemption of F1 from tobacco advertising had
  nothing to do with Bernie Ecclestones 1 million
  donation
• ASH, BMA and several charities were in uproar
• Links with the TUs have weakened, despite
  Minimum wage and increased public spending on
  education and health

15
The Countryside Alliance

• My Heroes!
• Marched on London in 1998, 2002 and 2004
• Marched against the ban on fox hunting, loss of
  farmland to urban development, falling incomes,
  declining rural services
• Supported by NFU, Clay Pigeon Assoc, Timber
  Growers Assoc and the British Field Sports Society

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Direct Action

• May Day Riots 2002boo hiss.
• Soap dodgers marching against capitalism and the
  march of poverty
• Marched through City, destroying buildings, such
  as McDonalds and defacing statues such as
  Churchills
• City workers photocopied 50 notes and threw them
  out the windows to the protestors
• Fuel Protestors 2000 Hooray!.....blockading
  petrol stations

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A new Social Movement

• Wider focus than a single issue, national or even
  global in its outlook
• No HQ, no staff, just groups linked by the
  Internet, global, anarchic and chaotic
• Environmentalism is an example
• Pressure Groups i.e. Greenpeace
• Political Parties i.e. The Green Party
• Action Protest and Direct, i.e. Rainbow Warrior
• They include a wide variety of ecologists,
  conservationists, eco-warriors etc..

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Victims of Social Movements

• Iron Triangle of Global Capitalism
• WTO
• IMF
• World Bank

• Multi nationals
• McDonalds
• Coca-Cola
• Nike
• Texaco
• GAP
• Microsoft
• Disney

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Core targets for all PG types

• The Core Executive
• PM, Ministers, Civil Servants
• Parliament
• Public Opinion
• Local Institutions

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So do PGs make the UK democratic?YES!

• Participation and Political access
• Improvement of Government
• Information provided affects quality
• Pluralism Freedom of Association
• PGs serve as vital links between Govt. and Soc
• Assist in the dispersal of political power
• Social Progress
• New issues to be debated, i.e. environmentalism
• Social Cohesion
• Safety valve for grievances
• Opposition
• Expose information, improving accountability

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So do PGs make the UK democratic?Errr.No!

• Sectionalism and Selfishness
• Only favour the well organised
• Anti-Parliamentary democracy
• Insider groups may not work in public interest
• Elitism
• Re-inforces existing class and power structure
• Pluralistic stagnation
• Too many groups, lots of contrasting aims, can
  immobilise the system
• Social disharmony and dislocation
• Intensifies feeling of injustice by highlighted
  groups
• Failure of opposition