415822
Pressure Groups
- GROUPS
- Insider Groups
- Close and regular contact with decision makers, and government ministers
- These are likely to lobby MP's.Some Trade Unions even 'sponser' MP's.
- Core Insiders
- Close relationship with decision- makers over broad range of issues
- Close relationship with decision- makers over broad range of issues
- Specialist insiders
- Offer experiences and expertise and influences in narower policy areas.
- Offer experiences and expertise and influences in narower policy areas.
- Peripheral insiders
- Often consulted but carrying little red political influence and authority
- Often consulted but carrying little red political influence and authority
- Close and regular contact with decision makers, and government ministers
- Constrast Groups
- In contrast, an outsider pressure group has little or no contact with desicion makers. This is often due to ideological disagreement with the governement of the day.
- 'The Animal Liberation Front' are so extreme, no mainstream political party would deal with them.
- In contrast, an outsider pressure group has little or no contact with desicion makers. This is often due to ideological disagreement with the governement of the day.
- Insider Groups
- Democratic Features of Pressure Groups
- Education
- This where pressure groups give a considerable amount of information and education to the people.
- This where pressure groups give a considerable amount of information and education to the people.
- Representation
- Whether the people contribute or not, pressure groups are there
to meet the needs of the people over a particular cause.
- Whether the people contribute or not, pressure groups are there
to meet the needs of the people over a particular cause.
- Participation
- As well as representing the people, pressure groups also allow participation. With
declining levels of popular involvement with politcial parties, pressure groups have
provided a vital opportuntity for politcal participation.
- As well as representing the people, pressure groups also allow participation. With
declining levels of popular involvement with politcial parties, pressure groups have
provided a vital opportuntity for politcal participation.
- Minority Interests
- Perhaps the most important democratic function of pressure
groups is the representation of the minority. Because a
democracy often has a "tyranny of the majority"- where the
people with the most votes has the say in government-
pressure groups ensure that all of us, in small or large groups
are taken into account and protected.
- Perhaps the most important democratic function of pressure
groups is the representation of the minority. Because a
democracy often has a "tyranny of the majority"- where the
people with the most votes has the say in government-
pressure groups ensure that all of us, in small or large groups
are taken into account and protected.
- Education
- Undemocratic Features of Pressure Groups
- Disproportionate Influence
- Not all pressure groups, as we have seen, enjoy the same amount of influence. In a
democracy, all voices should be heard- so is it fair and rigth that there are pressure groups
that can "bend the ear" of the governement and others that are outsider pressure groups?
Some groups weild more powe than their relative importance might suggest.
- Not all pressure groups, as we have seen, enjoy the same amount of influence. In a
democracy, all voices should be heard- so is it fair and rigth that there are pressure groups
that can "bend the ear" of the governement and others that are outsider pressure groups?
Some groups weild more powe than their relative importance might suggest.
- Finance
- Related to their position of society is there position of wealth.
Some pressure groups hae more money than others, especially
if they are a national or international pressure group.
- Related to their position of society is there position of wealth.
Some pressure groups hae more money than others, especially
if they are a national or international pressure group.
- Size
- Sometimes the sheer weight of numbers and
members can distort the democratic process.
- Sometimes the sheer weight of numbers and
members can distort the democratic process.
- The concentration of power (elitism)
- When we look more closely at the powerful pressure groups- the big, wealthy ones- we can see evidence of
elitism. Some pressure groups may concentrate their power in the hands of a few. When such "elites" are
insider groups, they might form a powerful elite in combination with governement. Ministers who are more
influenced by group leaderships then by wider memberships could be accused or further elitism.
- When we look more closely at the powerful pressure groups- the big, wealthy ones- we can see evidence of
elitism. Some pressure groups may concentrate their power in the hands of a few. When such "elites" are
insider groups, they might form a powerful elite in combination with governement. Ministers who are more
influenced by group leaderships then by wider memberships could be accused or further elitism.
- Internal democracy
- Some pressure group leaders may not truely represent the views of their members i.e. groups that may not be internally
democratic. Though it is certainly true that there are democratic controls on pressure groups- they are often weaker than
political party controls and politicans.
- Some pressure group leaders may not truely represent the views of their members i.e. groups that may not be internally
democratic. Though it is certainly true that there are democratic controls on pressure groups- they are often weaker than
political party controls and politicans.
- Disproportionate Influence
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