| What is a Pressure Group? | -Organisation that aims to Influence Public Policy and put Pressure on the Government, but doesn’t want to be Government - that would be a Political Party |
| What are Promotional Groups? Give Brief Overview | -Aim to the serve the Whole Community and not just Members and Supporters - Altruism
-Tend to get and Build up Public Opinion and therefore Pressure Government that way - Widespread Support
-Use Direct Action via Public Demonstrations, Campaigns and Civil Disobedience
-May Focus on One Specific Issue or Range of Issues that relate to General Cause
-BLM Strongly focused on how the Police treat People from Minority Backgrounds |
| What are Sectional Groups? | -Largely self Interested in how they serve Interests of own Members and Supporters
-Aim to get Public Support and Direct Links to Decision maker - Insider Status
-Methods more Subtle and not in Public Vision and use Parliament for Influence
-Have an Exclusive Membership
-Usually Represent a Section of the Workforce
-National Education Union looks after Interests of Teachers |
| How are Parties and Pressure Groups different? | -Power: Parties try to get Share or All Power while PGs don’t care for Governmental Power
-Accountability: Parties have to be Accountable to the Electorate and Public but PGs only to their Members
-Policies: Parties make a Range that covers All/Most Areas of Gov Responsibility while PGs Narrow down Concerns and may care for a Single Issue
-Membership: Parties have a Formal Entry and Organisation while PGs have Supporters usually. |
| How can Parties and PGs be looked as the Same? | -Both try to get the Public Opinion and Mobilise Support
-Both engage in Lobbying, Funding and Campaigning to achieve their Goals
-Both try to Influence the Political Process and Advance own Interests |
| What is Lobbying? How do Pressure Groups use them?
(EX) | -Involved Persuasion through Direct Contact to Important Decision and Policy Makers.
-Professional Lobby Organisations may be used to achieve Maximum Effect
-Seen mainly used by Insider Groups [Access to Decision Makers] like British Bankers Association [BBA] and Confederation of British Industry CBI]
-Age UK lobbies MPs on behalf of Pensioners |
| What is Public Campaigning? How do Pressure Groups use them?
(EX) | -Using Large Scale Demonstrations for Support of an Issue or Group. Try’s to Mobilise the Public Support and show how much the Public Care to Decision Makers
-Pro-Remain Demonstrations, organised by People’s Vote & Pro-Leave Demonstrations erupted following the EU Referendum |
| What are Donations to Parties? How do Pressure Groups use them?
(EX) | -Legal, if Declared, and used by Large Firms and Employer Organisations or Trade Unions
-Open Democracy had found the Conservative Party got £11 Million from Property Developers in Boris Johnson’s First Year as PM [Although it is Argued that no Direct Policies came after the Donation which Concerned Property Developers] |
| What are Media Campaigns and how do Pressure Groups use them?
(EX) | -Often using Celebrities & Public Support to Boost Awareness and Advance own Aims
-2020 saw a Campaign to continue the Free School Meals over Summer Holidays, which had Marcus Rashford Involved.
-Princes William and Harry Involved with reducing the Stigma for those Suffering with Poor Mental Health happened in 2020 too. |
| What is Civil Disobedience and how do Pressure Groups use them?
(EX) | -Once other Methods failed, Illegal Action may be Used which bring about Wide Public Awareness, but perhaps not Support
-For Example: Extinction Rebellion had Blocked Bridges and Roads. Plane Stupid had Invaded Airplane Runways as the PG opposed Airport Expansion
-Suffragettes had engaged in a wide Scale of Civil Disobedience: From Chaining to Buckingham Place to Defacing Art Works to Bombing Lloyd George’s Home [Chancellor of Exchequer] in 1913 |
| How do Pressure Groups use Social Media and E-Petitions to advance their own Aims?
(EX) | -Social Media can bring Awareness and Support, and leads to Signing of E-Petitions and Local Action bringing about Pressure to the Government
-2015 saw an E-Petition from Refugee Action that received 460K Signatures that wanted to accept more Syrian Refugees, and it led to Government announcing it would accept 20K more Refugees over the next 5 Years.
-2019 saw the Revoke Article 50 which amassed 6 Million Signatures |
| How do Pressure Groups use Legal Action to Further their own Advances
(EX) | -Judicial Review try’s to Stamp out Discrimination against Oppressed Groups in Society and Preserve Public Services
-Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign had won a Legal Battle in 2013 that had the Court of Appeal rule the Government did not have Legal Authority to Close the Hospital
-Civil Liberties Organisation won a Case against Police of using Facial Recognition Tech in 2020 August |
| What is an Insider Group [And Outsider] | -Pressure Groups that has Access to Decision Makers, making their tactics more Discreet and behind Closed Doors.
-Relies on Close Links to Advisors and Politicians
-Outsider Groups do not have such Contact so has to Resort to Methods that attract Public and Media Attention and Support |
| Give an Exam Tip that helps with Essay about Pressure Groups | -Helpful to use Recent Example
-Helpful to refer back to the Same Pressure Group in Case Study’s. For Example the Suffragettes had engaged in Heavy Civil Disobedience. It had also tried to Publicly Campaign and do Peaceful Protests |
| How can Insider Pressure Groups have more Chance of Success, but also Not have Any Effect?
(EX) | Yay: Insiders Groups may have Opportunity to have their Views on Legislation. Example: Private Healthcare Companies had Helped in drafting the Health & Social Care Bill which had Benefited them
Nay: Not every Insider Group is Influential is Circumstances. Example: The CBI has Strong Ties to Conservatives but has failed to Influence Government Policy on Brexit to the CBI Interests |
| How can Group Size offer more Success, but not?
(EX) | Yay: Larger Membership can be more Important in Persuading Government as then the Pressure Group show off a Significant Size of Population. Example: Campaign to Protect Rural England had 40K members and has Defended the Green Belt from Property Developers
Nay: Large Groups doesn’t bring Success always. Example: Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament had 110K members in mid 1980s but had little Influence on Government |
| How can Public Support offer more Success, but not?
(EX) | Yay: PGs that can Organise Large Scale Demonstrations and Support can have more Influence. Eg: Snowdrop Campaign had been able to ban the Use of Handguns due to 1996 Dunblane Primary School Massacre
Nay: Government attitudes may Outweigh Public Opinion. Eg: 2013 Badger Cull went ahead Despite the Public Outcry of Concern from Animal Welfare Groups. |
| Give Exam Tip concerning Essay about Comparing Factors of Success for a PG | -Try and state a Clear Direction - It is the Most Important Factor or Not
-And Compare the Other Factors to get Clear Overview |
| How can Pressure Groups Enhance Democracy?
(EX) | -Power is Dispersed and Influence more Widely. Eg British Medical Association had ensured the Voice of Medical Community is Heard when Health Policy is Concerned
-Public is Educated about important Political Issues. Eg Act for the Act had raised Awareness of how Human Rights has helped People
-Opportunities given to more People to engage in Politics Easily. Eg. 16 Million Voters decided to not Vote in 2019 Election, but 38 Degrees said almost 40 Million signed E-Petition since 2013
-Help Protect and Promote Interests of Minorities. Eg Howard League fights for Better Prison Conditions
-Help make Government Accountable by making it Public the Effect of the Policies. Eg Justice4Grenfell made Public Inquiry of Grenfell Tower Fire |
| How can Pressure Groups Threaten Democracy
(EX) | -Some Groups are Elitist and Concentrate Power in Hands of Few People. Eg Revloving Door uses Special Advisors to Ministers & getting Good Paid Jobs at Lobbying Firms, where they can Exploit contacts made while in Government
-Groups may Distort Information and Limit Social/Technological Progress. Eg Stop 5G had been Concerned about Health and Environmental Effects 5G would have, but its Claims are Contested.
-Groups may be not Democratic and so may Fail to Represent Views of Members and Supporters. Leaders of many PG are not Elected
-Finance very key in Political Influence - so PGs unevenly Matched. 2020 saw Housing Minister Robert Jenrick accuse of Rushing an Approval of Development Project to Satisfy Tory Donor Richard Desmond |
