Insider groups have strong links with decision makers and are regularly consulted. They are the groups that the government – local and national – considers to be legitimate and are, therefore, given access to decision makers. This category includes the Church of England and the police force, as they are involved in the consultation process as a matter of course when government proposals relevant to their activities are discussed.
Outsider groups have none of the advantages of insider groups: they can’t expect to be consulted during policy-making processes or expect to gain access to ministers and civil servants. They have fewer opportunities to determine the direction of any policies. Examples of this are the CND and the IRA (Irish Republican Army).
As types of pressure groups of vary, so does the amount of power each groups has, which is not always determined by what category they are in. There are a number of factors, which determine how effective a pressure group is; Size of Membership; Financial Resources; Public Support; Prestige of the pressure group; Strength of Opposition; Government Support and the Organisation of the group. As a result of these factors, there is such a variation in the amount of power each group can exert onto influential establishments.
For pressure groups to have influence, they use typical methods to pressurise institutions. These methods vary from insider to outsider groups. Insider groups use the following methods: Sponsorship of MP’s (see below); make direct links with ministers; participate and testify in official committees; represent their group on quango’s; influence parliamentary standing committees to amend legislation. Insider groups typically seek influence in the first 2 institutions of access, as they are able to do this. These two are also the most effective pressure points of the seven. Outsider groups use the following methods: public demonstration; petitions; campaigns of civil disobedience; media campaigns; illegal activities to achieve publicity. Outsider groups typically use the more ‘illegitimate’ methods of influence, as this is the only way to gain public support and therefore more power.
It also depends on the institution they are pressurising. There are 7 institutions where pressure groups apply pressure to influence them. These are: The Executive and Civil Service – which is the most effective area for pressure groups to exert influence as it gives expert opinions (although biased) and they can gauge opinion, prior to publication of upcoming policies; Parliament (MP’s and Lords) – by sponsoring MP’s and engaging them as parliamentary consultants, involving them if they have personal interests in the group, lobbying MP’s and Lords and making appearances before select committees to give evidence which is fairly influential since the televising of proceedings; The European Union; Political Parties - certain groups have come to be associated with particular parties but as a result of recent changes, pressure groups seem to have less influence over the main parties, most importantly Labour; Local Government – (it’s more appropriate for pressure groups to apply pressure here when the issue concerned affects no where else); The Courts; The Media and the Public – this access point for pressure is more effectively used by outsider groups as insider groups find it unnecessary, the fundamental aim of this pressure point is to influence public opinion and in turn, MP’s and the government.
Democracy is a system of government where decisions are arrived are by majoritarian principles where political equality and freedom allow the voter an effective choice between competing candidates in a secret ballot. Therefore political parties can’t provide sufficient representation for the full range of interests in a modern, democratic society. This is not a party’s function, it’s merely to react to and adjudicate the demands of pressure groups. The pluralist model states that pressure groups are thus necessary to play an essential role in democracy. . Pressure groups enable particular interests and causes be heard and to exert influence in public decision and decision-making. Yet it’s precisely this which may give cause for concern I terms of the methods used by some groups to achieve their objectives and the undue power and influence particular groups have. Pluralists believe that pressure groups overcome the democratic deficit that builds up thereby enhancing the quality of democracy by increasing participation and access to the political system. Pressure groups complement and supplement electoral democracy in two main ways: by providing an important from of citizen influence of the government between elections and enabling societies variety of opinions is known. Pressure groups are the rational way to influence decisions in a free society. Freely operating pressure groups are essential to the effective functioning of liberal democracy in three main ways: they serve as a voice between government and society, they disperse political power and provide an important counterweight and balance to political power which is now especially important with the two main political parties: the Conservative Party and the Labour party. Pressure groups improve the accountability of decision makers to electorates if enough influence is made.
Although it’s undeniable that pressure groups play a vital role in British politics particularly in today’s less differential society, perhaps it’s not the suggested one of the pluralist model. For example, pressure groups do improve participation but in an unequal way, benefiting the powerful and organised and disadvantaging the weak and unorganised. The groups themselves may not be representative of their members as many members’ views are ignored if they don’t comply with the ideologies of the leaders or decision makers of that group. The methods of influence some groups use increase social discontent and political instability by intensifying social frustration and injustice felt by certain sections of the population. This can ignore the good of the whole of the community and this kind of civil disobedience can’t be justified in today’s democratic system.
In conclusion, pressure groups can both detract from and strengthen democracy to a certain extent. Pressure groups are an essential dimension of any democracy, yet they can endanger it if sectional groups undermine the public interest or if the methods they use are corrupt or intimidating.