Pressure groups Lecture 1 Dr Justin Greaves
Mar 31, 2015
Pressure groups
Lecture 1
Dr Justin Greaves
What is a pressure group?
• ‘A pressure group is an organization which seeks as one of its functions to influence the formulation and implementation of public policy’ (Grant 2000)
OR:
• ‘The field of organized groups possessing both formal structure and real common interests in so far as they influence the decisions of public bodies’ (W J M Mackenzie)
Changing times
• But are such definitions out of date?• Some group activity now directed at
private companies (see Grant and Greaves, 2005)
• State has shed some of its functions, with public tasks being carried out by private providers
EG: ‘retailer governance’
Targeting Tesco
• Tescopoly is a coalition of eight environmental, women's, workers' and third world organisations
• Groups include Friends of the Earth, the GMB union and War on Want
• The campaign uses the slogan 'Every little hurts' in a play on the Tesco slogan 'Every little helps'
Differ from parties
• Party wants to win control of government or at least a share of office to implement policies
• Parties are broad coalitions that have to aggregate interests, groups often single issue
• Parties run candidates in elections, but note ‘interest parties’
Social movements
• Difficult to define – used in a vague way
• In contrast to Mackenzie’s definition may not have a formal structure and are usually united by ideas not interests
Klandermans (1997)
• ‘Social movements ...are populated by individuals sharing collective goals and a collective identity who engage in disruptive action’
Jordan (1998)
• ‘There is a tendency to relabel any group using non-conventional strategies and tactics as social movements’
But distinction important• Literature important as reminds us
pressure groups are only one way of bringing about change
• Feminism one of the important social movements (impact on changing consciousness, family level, still few women legislators)
• Many of its goals require political action• Pressure groups spring from it
Social movements: a summary
• Literature in sociology
• Represent people with an outsider orientation
• Seek to change elements in the existing power structure
• Often use direct action methods
• Opposed to conventional power politics
Social movements: summary (2)• Do not want to influence state, want to
act in civil society
• Loosely defined organisational structure
• Either lack clearly defined leadership or have charismatic leader
• Often left of centre, lifestyle politics, but note petrol protests
Recent literature• ‘The new social movement literature has
little space for reform-oriented single issue pressure groups which merely seek to change their bit of the world, and are reasonably comfortable with the state of society and politics as they find them – surely the operating rationale of so many voluntary organisations?’ (McKay and Hilton, 2009)
Think tanks
• Grant’s definition encompasses think tanks even though they do not engage in lobbying
• May have a close relationship with a political party, e.g. Fabian Society
• Can be influential (e.g. IEA and Thatcherism, Adam Smith Institute and the poll tax)
Think tanks (2)
• Demos has been proving influential
• Here is a short video clip showing their engagement with politicians and others
Think tanks (3)
• Think tanks seek to change the intellectual climate of opinion
• Stone (1996) argued that the distinction between think tanks and interest groups has become blurred
• She argues their impact is modest. ‘Policy making is mainly driven by interests, not by ideas’
Changing terminology
• A search for ‘hurrah words’ to describe pressure or interest groups
• Stakeholders – used by government and EU
• Non-governmental organisations (originated with UN)
• Campaigning groups• Advocacy groups
Your projects
• Here is some advice which should come in helpful for your pressure group projects
What’s in a name?• We don’t want to restrict your choice of
group• You can study UK, American, EU or
home country organisation – but need understanding
• You can study direct action groups• Key consideration is feasibility – is there
enough material?• Step 1: check out web site
Four criteria for a good website
1. Useful
2. Usable
3. Accessible for all
4. Sticky (*makes people want to come back)
Web site design
• Does it download reasonably quickly?
• Is the site design coherent?
• Is it uncluttered?
• Is the meaning of categories clear?
• Can you find what you want quickly and easily? (easy to navigate)
• How would the site appear to someone wanting to get involved?
Web site content (1)
• Can you join on line or download a membership form?
• Can you find out how to get involved in campaigns?
• Are illustrations relevant and appealing?
• Podcasts or videos?
• Has it been updated recently?
Web site content (2)
• Does it provide information:
1.About group
2.The history of group
3.Methods it uses
4.Its successes
5.Contact details for more info
Balance of question
• Approximate division between two parts of question is one third/two thirds
• Assessment of group effectiveness is core of second part of question
• You will be given credit for examining methodological problems of assessing effectiveness
Further advice
• Make sure you answer all parts of the question (especially all three parts on the website).
• For the first part a comparison with another website can be a good idea.
• Please ensure you look at ‘Pressure Groups and British Politics’, Chapter 10. (available online)
• Before we continue, a quite moving and inspirational video-clip on Amnesty International
Types of pressure groups
• There are many ways of categorising pressure groups
Causal/sectional groups
• Sectional groups represent a section of the community (e.g. trade unions, CBI etc)
• Cause groups represent a belief or principle (e.g. Friends of the Earth, Amnesty International)
Insider/outsider typology • Developed by Grant (1978)• Insider/outsider groups cuts across
traditional sectional/cause distinction • Insider groups recognised as legitimate
by government• But had to abide by rules of the political
game which imposed constraints
Outsider groups• A more disparate category• Include ‘would be’ insider groups,
outsider groups by necessity• Ideological or protest groups who do not
want to be drawn into embrace of government
• Implication of typology that insider groups more likely to succeed – but not always
Aberdeen group
• Work of Jordan, McLaughlin and Maloney (94)
• Political price for entry not as high as typology suggests
• Large number of groups consulted
Aberdeen Group modify typology• Core insiders dealing with a broad
range of issues
• Specialist insiders in policy niches
• Peripheral insiders, little influence
Easy to become an insider• Reinforced by work of Page (98) – insiders
outnumber pure outsiders by nine to one• Not that hard to be placed on a
consultation list. Blair Govt. has consultation code
• Internet lowers costs of formation, mobilisation and involvement
• Being involved in consultation is not same as real access to policy makers
Pursuing both strategies
• One can pursue both strategies simultaneously – Greenpeace
• But does set up tensions within a group, Greenpeace very hierarchical and hence can control them
• In some areas now insider and outsider groups – National Farmers Union and Farmers for Action
Most important criticism
• Nature of society and political process has changed
• Far more groups representing a more fragmented society
• Outsider groups becoming more successful, hence undermining one of key points of distinction
• Growth of direct action
Next week
• More on insiders/outsiders
• Pressure groups and the internet
• Direct action strategies