897794
Description
Mind Map by mcdougallrosie, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by mcdougallrosie
almost 11 years ago
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How do pressure
groups exert influence?
- MINISTERS AND CIVIL
SERVANTS
- Ministers and civil servants work at the
heart of the core executive, this is where
power lies. many groups therefore aspire to
insider status and those who have it are
reluctant to lose it
- governments consult groups because... 1) they need
specialised knowledge and advice to inform the policy
process. 2) they desire to gain the cooperation of
important groups. 3) they need to gauge the reaction of
affected groups to proposed policies and gov
measures.
- groups such as BMA and the royal
college of nursing frequently visit the
department of health.
- Ministers and civil servants work at the
heart of the core executive, this is where
power lies. many groups therefore aspire to
insider status and those who have it are
reluctant to lose it
- PARLIAMENT
- Groups that cannot gain access to the
executive may look to exert influence
through parliament. through parliament
groups can sometimes make changes to
the details of legislation or the profile of
political issues. this can happen through
influence on private members bills,
parliamentary questions and select
comities.
- lobbying has grown in importance in recent year due to, 1)
more independently minded backbenchers. 2) the introduction
of departmental select comities. 3) the growing use of
professional lobbyists and political consultants.
- Groups that cannot gain access to the
executive may look to exert influence
through parliament. through parliament
groups can sometimes make changes to
the details of legislation or the profile of
political issues. this can happen through
influence on private members bills,
parliamentary questions and select
comities.
- POLITICAL PARTIES
- influencing party policy can therefore lead to
influence on government policy if the party
comes into power. the most obvious way in
which groups influence parties is through
funding and donations.
- best known link: the relationship between
the trade unions and the labour party.
trade unions provide the bulk of labours
funding and also control most of the votes
at the party conference.
- influencing party policy can therefore lead to
influence on government policy if the party
comes into power. the most obvious way in
which groups influence parties is through
funding and donations.
- PUBLIC OPINION
- these strategies are adopted by outsider
groups . the purpose of such strategies is to
influence government indirectly by pushing
issues up the political agenda and
demonstrating both the strength of commitment
and the level of public support for a particular
cause. the hope is that government will pay
attention for fear of suffering electoral
consequences.
- public opinion
campaigning is
largely heard to
attracting media
attention thereby
gaining wider
influence. for
example the anti
fees protest by
students and anti
cuts
demonstrations by
trade unions.
- influencing public opinion
can also exert influence by
damaging the image of a
government. for example
the 1990 anti poll tax
protests damaged thatchers
reputation and so
contributed to her downfall.
- these strategies are adopted by outsider
groups . the purpose of such strategies is to
influence government indirectly by pushing
issues up the political agenda and
demonstrating both the strength of commitment
and the level of public support for a particular
cause. the hope is that government will pay
attention for fear of suffering electoral
consequences.
- DIRECT ACTION
- Direct action as a political strategy
overlaps with some features of public
opinion. direct action is political
action that is direct in that it imposes
actions that affect government or the
running of the country. direct action
can sometimes be illegal and is
either violent or non- violent.
- example: pressure group SHAC ( stop huntingdon animal
cruelty) has campaigned to stop animal cruelty though
harassment, intimidation, damaging property ect.
- Direct action as a political strategy
overlaps with some features of public
opinion. direct action is political
action that is direct in that it imposes
actions that affect government or the
running of the country. direct action
can sometimes be illegal and is
either violent or non- violent.
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