Pressure Groups

Distinguish Between Insider and Outsider Groups

Insider groups are pressure groups which have a close and direct relationship with the government hence they have a higher chance of influence on the policy-making process in comparison to outsider groups who do not share this privilege and have to influence the policy-making process by using different methods of persuasion. Some outsider groups tend to be extremists and at times may resort to terrorism as opposed to insider groups who try and follow legal procedures in order to maintain a good relationship with the government.

Explain the Main Differences Between Pressure Groups and Political Parties

Pressure groups do not aspire to form a government in comparison to political parties who pursue governmental power. This means that they do not put up candidates during elections as they do not seek to be government. However, political parties do put up candidates for office. Unlike political parties, pressure groups usually have a narrow range of concern and therefore are more focused onto a certain issue. Political parties on the other hand, adopt policies to cover all aspects of government responsibility. An example of this would be the RSPCA who focus on animal cruelty and to provide aid and shelter for animals in need whereas a political party like the Labour government have a list of policies that varies. Finance is also a difference between the two groups as political parties financial budget is legally controlled and limited as opposed to pressure groups who have no financial constraints.

To What Extent do Pressure Groups Strengthen the Democratic Process

Pressure groups strengthen the democratic process up to a certain extent as there are many arguments for and against.

For some, pressure groups are a fundamental part of democracy. In the pluralist model of democracy, pressure groups play an essential role as political parties cannot provide adequate representation for the full range of diverse interests and opinions in a modern democracy because their key function is to aggregate interests into a coherent political entity capable of governing the country. Pressure groups enable particular interests and opinions to be heard and to exert influence in public decisions and decision-making. Pressure groups improve the quality of the government as well as consultation with affected groups is the rational way to make decisions in a free society. It makes the government more efficient by enhancing the quality of the decision-making process as the information and advice provided by these pressure groups help improve the quality of the government’s policy and legislation. Pressure groups assist the surveillance of the government by exposing information it would rather keep secret, thereby reinforcing and complementing work of opposition through political parties. Pressure groups thereby improve the accountability of the government to electorates.

It can be argued that pressure groups improve participation, but in an unequal way, benefiting the well organised but disadvantaging the weakly organised. In this sense, they work against and not in favour of public interest, which goes against the pluralist model of democracy. Pressure groups themselves may not be representatives of their members as their officers are not usually elected. As a result of this, the views expressed by group officials may not necessarily be shared by the group’s members. The in-egalitarian way in which some groups operate increases social discontent and political instability by intensifying the sense of social frustration and injustice felt by disadvantaged and excluded sections of the population. Pressure groups can also endanger democracy if sectional groups undermine the public interest or if the methods they use are corrupt or intimidating, for example, if the National Farmer’s Union went on strike, this would affect the whole of the United Kingdom drastically and hence will oppose public interest along with government control.

Therefore in conclusion, I can only agree that although pressure groups do strengthen the democratic process, they also undermine it.