Pressure Groups

Pressure Groups

1. Good for Democracy

   • Educative function
     • Acts as a source of specialist knowledge
       • Statistics
         • FOtE offered the government statistics on climate refugees 2017
     • Helps the broader public
       • More well-informed citizenry
     • Enhancing scrutiny, helping to avoid costly mistakes and maladministration
   • Representative Function
     • In post-modern society, many people feel that established parties do not represent them effectively
       • PG's offer this form of functional representation
         • E.g. SPUC which offers represents abortion issues
     • Made by the people, for the people
     • "Essential freedom to citizens"
       • Wynn Grant
     • "Safety valve"
       • Wynn Grant
       • For those who feel hard done by
     • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds had an excess of 1 million members in 2013
   • Participation Function
     • Trustee model commands for space of communication from MPs to be provided for citizens
       • Not always a success
       • PGs offer this lacking of participation
     • Allow people to join into marches
       • E.g. Iraq War march 2003
     • Allow citizens to sign petitions
       • FOtE's online petition demanding support for climate refugees 2017

2. Bad for democracy

   • Lack legitimacy
   • Quality of participation is often low
   • Non-membership groups are simply fronts for wealthy and influential business interests
   • More successful when they have articulate, educated leaders
     • Middle-class
   • Information may not be reliable
     • Misleading?

3. Variables