Post on 14-Apr-2018
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Are pressure groups a
threat to democracy?
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BMA British Medical Association
Read the description ofthe BMA
How would you classify
it as a pressure group?How is it successful?
What are the reasonsfor its success?
Sectional, insider group,protective.
Doctors interests.
Successful lobbying of MPs.
Supports public healthinitiatives.
Respected by Govt, public,international bodies.
Large membership-130,000.
Got a lot of money. Effective use of committees.
Brief politicians-specialistteams. Expertise.
Finance public informationcampaigns.
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Why do we need pressure groups?
Traditionally pressure groups haveperformed a range of functions;
Means of popular participation in politics /nationally and locally between elections
Act as source of specialist knowledge
Act as intermediaries between competinggroups
Important social function
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Examples; mencap was asked bygovernment in 2004 to coordinate a studyinto education / intervention for disabled
children. Study presented to gov. in 2005
ASH 2/3 of funding given by Dept. ofHealth.
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Why have pressure groups increasedin importance?
Membership of parties has fallen.
Parties no longer represent interests ofmembers
Development of new social movements ledto increased numbers.
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Are some pressure groups moreequal than others?
Main argument in favour of pressure group activityis put forward by pluralists. The most notable wasRobert Dahl. They argue that society consists of
many groups representing different sections insociety and all have equal opportunity to shapegovernment policy.
Opponents to this argue that this is a nave
attitude and that some pressure groups distortbalance of power.
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Are some pressure groups moreequal than others?
Dahl counters this by saying that power isdispersed between pressure groups to avoid adominant group system, by doing the following;
Liberal democracies relatively easy for individuals /groups to enter politics.
Countervailing groups balance power
Even smallest groups have power to influence
voters Individuals likely to be a member of different
groups.
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Criticisms of pluralismPluralism
Elitists
Pluralists fail to consider
hidden forces. British Motor
Federation prevented a
debate on road building untilexplosion of anti-roads
protests in the 1990s.
Inequalities of wealth ensure
that there is massively
unequal competition.State run by and for
capitalist ruling class.
Most vulnerable groups not
organised.
From new right
Certain groups are able to
increase their size (unions)
and therefore power, by
offering inducements.
These groups do not exist for
the common good, merely to
benefit their members.
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PERSPECTIVES ON PRESSUREGROUPS
Pluralism Elitism
New RightCorporatist
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PERSPECTIVES ON PRESSUREGROUPS
Pluralism
Believe in competition
Suffragettes
Key element of civilsociety
Neopluralism?
Cater for diverse
society
Elitism
Idea ofcorporatismappeals toelitist.
Similarbackgrounds
Key decisions
by small no.
New Right
Thatcher
dislike oforganisedgroups.
What was thepoint of
representation?
Corporatist
1960s-70sCo-operationbetweenunions andemployers
Eg.CBI andTUC
Socialpartners
Trade unionsandemployers insocialdialogue
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Policy networks
Policy network a description of thedifferent kinds of relationships betweengroups and government and the range of
players (organised groups, national andEuropean civil servants, academics)
Policy communities
Small, stable and consensualgroupings, government officialsand group leaders.
Issue networks
Large, flexible and opennetworks of particularindividuals in any policyarea. Wider than policy
communities. Grown since80s.
This concept fits withwhich other theory onpressure groups?
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Issue networksAgricultural policy
Policy made incorridors of Whitehallbetween
representatives of NFUand Ministry of
Agriculture.
DEFRA will meet with;
European civil servants
NFU
Friends of the Earth
Food manufacturers
Academic researchers
Consumerorganisations
Which of these is a policy community and which is a policy network.
Explain why.