Why are pressure groups more important powerful in America compared to the UK?

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Katie Shield

6th March 2009

Politics Mr. Gregory. 

Why are pressure groups more important powerful in America compared to the UK?

The Media in the USA you can see the effect that the pressure groups have upon the US political system, it is clear that this differs to the UK where most of the work done by pressure groups remains behind the media spot light and could be seen as less powerful.

In the UK political power is concentrated. There is a dominant branch of government this is the executive in Whitehall. In a parliamentary system such as in the UK the executive is drawn from the legislature. Ministers must be members of parliament. In practice, the executive is composed of the leading figures in the majority party and effectively controls the legislature because of that majority.

The party that wins power can claim authority known as a mandate from the electorate to carry out its manifesto. It is expected to implement its promises and faces political embarrassment if it fails to do so. Pressure groups do not have the political clout to block specific policies, as they are an unelected body, which means that they do not hold the mandate.

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Parliament has no separate authority to rival the government of the day.

Nor does Britain have a codified constitution to limit government power; nor an entrenched Bill of Rights. So, the courts have not been a significant target of pressure group activity. The US Constitution gives great power to courts and legislature, unlike power in practice in UK, which is concentrated in the Executive.  

Parties are disciplined and unified and the electoral system generally gives the most popular party an exaggerated share ...

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