Pressure groups provide a means of popular participation in national politics between elections. They are sometimes able to gather sufficient support to force government to amend or even scrap legislation. Pressure groups also provide a means of participation in local politics between elections. For example, in 1994 the A452 Co-ordination Group campaigned to block plans by Warwickshire County Council to make the A452 a dual carriageway. After the group’s intense lobbying, the council dropped the plans. Pressure groups also act as a sense of specialist knowledge, and often have access to information that is highly valued by decision makers. For example, MENCAP and MIND – groups campaigning on behalf of people with mental disabilities – are often invited to give government briefings. In return, these groups have an input into the making of decisions, and they also receive financial contributions direct from the government.
Pressure groups can use a variety of different methods to influence law. Firstly, it can merely inform legislators of its member’s preferences. Second it may well give money or time to help with an election campaign. Third, its members may threaten, as a group, to vote as a bloc. By doing this they promise to help a co-operative legislator, and threaten to harm a non-co-operative legislator. Fourth, a pressure group may speed up legislation by writing bills and helping legislators make progressive agreements. Finally, a pressure group my attempt to influence members of the executive, who have some law making input and who can partly decide the strength and effectiveness of law enforcement.
(3) Why are some pressure groups more successful than others?
One of the main factors effecting the success of a pressure group is the public opinion. Attitudes tend to change slowly, but a series of events or a crisis may lead to the expression of new views. Opinions may be divided on certain issues, whereas some values of a pressure group are in harmony with cultural norms and have a lot of support such as the RSPCA. The political context must also be taken into account; a group has an obvious advantage if a sympathetic political party controls the government at the relevant time.
Even if the organisation is relatively poor, a large membership is a great help. Most members will also be voters, as will their families and friends. A mass membership can help to communicate with strangers, by delivering campaign literature or holding big demonstrations to win the media. A group whose membership is drawn from a disadvantaged section of the population is less likely to be effective than a group whose membership comes from the middle-classes because they tend to be more articulate and know how the political system works.
Sometimes, it is advantageous for pressure groups to try and reach the largest possible audience. On the other occasions, it is better to target certain strands of the media. No matter hot large or small, pressure groups have to make tactical decisions about how to achieve the publicity they desire. The media plays a central role in modern politics and is particularly important in deterring which issues appear on the political agenda both nationally and locally creating a climate of public opinion which puts pressure on decision makers.
Resources also determine effectiveness of a pressure group. Running an effective campaign can be very expensive, so wealthy supporters provide an obvious advantage such as well-known celebrities and in the battle for media attention, it is usually a good idea. A group’s organisational structure also has a bearing on the effectiveness. For example, sectional groups tend to have a centralised structure consisting of a council which is the ultimate policy-making body and smaller specialised groups which look after individual areas or campaigns. However, cause groups have a more decentralised structure.
The quality of leadership is an important asset for any pressure group and enthusiastic membership is more promising than a large body of passive supporters for example, The Howard League, with fewer than 3000 members, has made a great impact on the treatment of prisoners. But even with these qualities, successful pressure groups must be wary of the strength of the opposition. Even a relatively large pressure group, such as CND in the 1980’s could make little headway against well-organised opponents with committed supporters in the media
A pressure groups situation within this area can often affect whether they are going to be successful in their acts. Insider groups often tend to be favoured in influencing decisions as are informed of what is going on around them by the government, which means they can then act on this information. Outsider pressure groups normally have to find information on their own and because they are rarely addressed by the government they have to commit unlawful acts such as protests in order to get themselves heard and noticed.
There are also many other factors that can help a pressure group to promote its ideals to the government and the public. Unfortunately the largest factor is probably money as most groups rely on membership subscriptions and donations, but these funds can dry up easily.
