Pressure Groups, Lobbyists + Think-tanks

• Pressure group - movement that campaigns to interests of a section of society/ particular cause

  • tries to influence government, NOT get power themselves
• sectional / interests groups - represents a particular group in society

  e.g. Muslim Council of Britain represents interests of British Muslims
• Cause / Promotional groups - promotes a particular cause where anyone can join

  e.g. charities and environmental groups
• Insider groups - have privileged inside access to government decision-making

  e.g. BMA possess specialist information (especially in Covid)
• Outsider groups - don't have access so achieve influence in other ways

  e.g. gain attention of government by winning public support
• UK IS PLURALIST DEMOCRACY: political power is widely distributed so different groups can compete to sway government

  • members of public can participate in political process by supporting pressure groups
• Why some pressure groups are more successful:

  Resources

  Ideological compatibility to the government

  Popularity

  Expertise
• Insider status - having specialist knowledge where they can be relied on by governments to reach informed decisions

  e.g. British Medical Association (BMA)
• wealth - rich pressure groups have financial resources to employ researchers, can operate close to government and provide groups with powerful voices
• Celebrity leadership - Marcus Rashford campaigning for Free School Meals, Emma Watson with the He for She campaign, Stephen Fry with Mental Health, LGBTQ rights campaign
• Social media - people can spread ideas through hashtags, new opportunities for engagement

  e.g. donating money to groups and signing online petitions
• direct action - risky strategies can create immediate publicity, causing disruption to the point where government negotiates

  e.g. oil protestors gluing themselves to the road, teacher strikes etc.
• CASE STUDY: SOCIAL MOVEMENT + PRESSURE GROUP

  • In 2020, murder of George Floyd in police custody generated global outrage - several protests in the summer despite Covid (e.g. toppling statue of slave trader)
  • generated powerful debate in UK to re-examine colonial past
  • Boris Johnson established new commission on racial inequality and several - some opposed BLM, as racially motivated crimes increased by 12%
• Ways which pressure groups can enhance democracy:

  • educate public about important political issues
  • help disperse power and influence more widely
  • call government to account by publicising affects of policy
  • give people more opportunities to participate in politics without sacrificing time and attention
  • promote, protect interests and rights of minority
• Ways which pressure groups can threaten democracy:

  • internally undemocratic as the don't accurately represent views of members and supporters
  • richer groups have disproportionate level of influence
  • influential pressure groups may distort information for their own interests
  • some are elitist and concentrate power with few
• think-tank - body of experts brought together to investigate / offer solutions to economic, social or political issues
• lobbyist - someone paid by clients to influence government policy on their behalf

  e.g. when legislation is being considered
• Think tanks: government influenced by a group to give them policy advice

  e.g. Centre for Policy Studies was policy devoted to reducing power of state and Margaret Thatcher approved as it was in line with her on political views

  • have time + expertise to research complex social and economic issues
  • some ideas discarded by government as "impractical" as they may have different ideological viewpoints
• Corporations: can form pressure groups where company benefit from relaxation of government regulations + attempt to pressure government into action

  • e.g. tobacco companies campaigned against all plain cigarette packages in 2013 - other pressure groups opposed like cancer research