pressure groups the politics of persuasion and influence
TRANSCRIPT
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Pressure GroupsThe Politics of Persuasion and
Influence
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Introduction Waves of interest
Samuel Beer S.E. Finer 1958 ‘anonymous empire’
Wyn Grant 2005 Overall theme: groups central to
policy process
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Additional Reading
Wyn Grant (2005)
‘Pressure Politics: A Politics of Collective Consumption’,
Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 58, No.2, pp.366-379.
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Structure of Lectures Defining pressure groups Categorising pressure groups Their functions Why do govts listen to groups? How do groups influence? (strategies) Groups and Democracy
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Definition (1) ‘Organisations … trying to influence
the policy of public bodies in their own chosen direction; though (unlike political parties) never themselves prepared to undertake the direct government of the country’ (Finer 1966).
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Definition (2) ‘A pressure group is an
organisation which seeks as one of its functions to influence the formulation and implementation of public policy …’ (Grant 1989).
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Other terms
Jordan and Richardson 1987 ‘GROUP’
Finer ‘LOBBY’ Marsh ‘INTEREST GROUPS’
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Different from Parties
Do not seek to govern Seek to influence public policy on
a restricted range of issues (groups = policy specialists)
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Categories: Interest and CauseINTEREST GROUPS CAUSE GROUPS
Membership restricted Membership open
Protect members’ interests Further interests of others
Examples: CBI, BMA, NFU Examples: CPAG, RSPCA
Also known as sectional Also known as attitude or promotional groups
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Functions of Pressure Groups1. Representation
2. Participation
3. Education
4. Setting the Political Agenda/Policy Formation
5. Programme Monitoring
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Why Do Govts Listen to Groups?
Members Information Implementation Power Financial Muscle
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Implementation
‘S/he who implements decides’
Pressman and Wildavsky 1973
Implementation
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How Groups Influence: Insiders and Outsiders
Insider Strategy = low-profile, responsible
Outsider Strategy = high profile, media orientated
Thresholder Strategy = pursue a mixture of 'outside' and 'inside' strategies'
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Types of insiders and outsidersINSIDER STATUS Core Insider Group Specialist Insider Group Peripheral Insider Group
OUTSIDER STATUS Outsider Group by Ideology or Goal Outsider Group by Choice
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Groups and Democracy
Pluralism (Dahl, Lindblom, Truman)
Elitism Neo-pluralism
See Jordan and Maloney
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Pluralism Groups key linkage between people and govt Groups compete No one group dominant Group resources substitutable Rough approximation of public interest
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Elitism Real power held by few groups Proliferation of groups proves nothing about
real power Power concentrated/ unequally distributed Groups with power=large corporations Other groups can win small battles, but
corporate elites almost always win
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Neo-Pluralism Power of business acknowledged So, pressure group system imperfect But pressure group system still defended as
means of creating good public policy