Pressure GroupsThe Politics of Persuasion and

Influence

Introduction Waves of interest

Samuel Beer S.E. Finer 1958 ‘anonymous empire’

Wyn Grant 2005 Overall theme: groups central to

policy process

Additional Reading

Wyn Grant (2005)

‘Pressure Politics: A Politics of Collective Consumption’,

Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 58, No.2, pp.366-379.

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

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).

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).

Other terms

Jordan and Richardson 1987 ‘GROUP’

Finer ‘LOBBY’ Marsh ‘INTEREST GROUPS’

Different from Parties

Do not seek to govern Seek to influence public policy on

a restricted range of issues (groups = policy specialists)

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

Functions of Pressure Groups1. Representation

2. Participation

3. Education

4. Setting the Political Agenda/Policy Formation

5. Programme Monitoring

Why Do Govts Listen to Groups?

Members Information Implementation Power Financial Muscle

Implementation

‘S/he who implements decides’

Pressman and Wildavsky 1973

Implementation

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'

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

Groups and Democracy

Pluralism (Dahl, Lindblom, Truman)

Elitism Neo-pluralism

See Jordan and Maloney

Pluralism Groups key linkage between people and govt Groups compete No one group dominant Group resources substitutable Rough approximation of public interest

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

Neo-Pluralism Power of business acknowledged So, pressure group system imperfect But pressure group system still defended as

means of creating good public policy