To what extent are pressure groups a threat to democracy?
There are many thousands of pressure groups in the UK. Pressure groups are formed to bring influence to bear on decision makers in accordance with the views of their members. Pressure groups do not seek to govern the country, instead they often seek to influence the government to take their views into account when formulating policy and enacting legislation.
Many people argue that pressure groups are a threat to democracy. They say that insider groups, those who work closely with the government, often have the capacity to influence the government prior to formal proposals being made to the public. This is significant as insider status is often linked to political leverage and the resources available to an organisation. Therefore, it is argued that those groups which are well resourced and represent the privileged in society are often better placed to influence government decisions than others which attempt to protect the interests of the disadvantaged.