Pressure groups

• Suffrage


  The right to vote
• Campaign to extend the franchise

  Persuade different parties which hold real power
• You are required to know the work of a modern campaign to extend the franchise, and you may be required to reference this as an example in an exam answer
• Pressure group


  A membership-based association whose aim is to influence policy-making without seeking power
• Functions of pressure groups

  • Represent and promote the interests of certain sections of the community
  • Protect the interests of minority groups
  • Promote causes not adequately taken up by political parties
  • Inform and educate the public about key political issues
  • Call government to account over its performance in particular areas of policy
  • Pass key information to government to inform and influence policy
  • Give opportunities to citizens to participate in politics other than through party membership and voting
• Types of pressure groups

  • Causal groups
  • Sectional groups
• Causal groups


  • Seek to promote a particular cause
  • Convert the ideas behind the cause into government action or parliamentary legislation
  • May be broad (e.g. environmental, human rights) or narrow (e.g. local issues)
• Sectional groups


  • Represent a particular section of the community
  • Self-interested in pursuing the interests of their own membership or those they represent
  • May be hybrid, believing that serving their members' interests also benefits the wider community
• Features of causal groups

  • Altruistic in serving the whole community, not just their own members
  • Concentrate on mobilising public opinion and putting pressure on government
  • Use direct action like public demonstrations, internet campaigns, civil disobedience
  • Seek widespread support
• Features of sectional groups

  • Largely not altruistic, serving the interests of their own members and supporters
  • Tend to seek direct links with decision-makers (insider status)
  • Use more responsible methods, often the parliamentary route to influence
• Insider groups


  Pressure groups with especially close links to decision-makers
• How insider groups operate

  • Seek to become involved in early stages of policy- and law-making
  • Employ professional lobbyists to gain access to decision-makers
  • May be represented on government committees
  • May be called to testify before parliamentary committees
• Outsider groups


  Pressure groups that do not enjoy a special position within governing circles
• Characteristics of outsider groups

  • Usually promotional groups with less certain legitimacy
  • Use public campaigning, new media, demonstrations to influence public opinion rather than direct lobbying
  • Have greater freedom in choice of methods, more likely to use civil disobedience, strikes, publicity stunts
• Methods used by pressure groups

  • Access points and lobbying
  • Public campaigning
  • Financial grants to political parties
  • Personal support from MPs and peers
  • Media campaigns
  • Direct action
  • Illegal methods as a last resort
  • Pursuing issues through the courts
• Factors that influence the success and failure of pressure groups include changes in government and permanent factors