Among other high-profile supporters were writer Tariq Ali, ex-minister Mo Mowlam, London's mayor Ken Livingstone, actress Vanessa Redgrave, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and former MP Tony Benn. Playwright Harold Pinter made a rare public speech, saying America was "a country run by a bunch of criminal lunatics with Tony Blair as a hired Christian thug". Hollywood actor Tim Robbins, also attending, told BBC News the crowds were "what democracy looks like". If Mr Bush and Mr Blair ignored them "they are not rightful leaders of a democracy", he said.
c) Using the source and your own knowledge, evaluate the different methods of action and pressure groups can use to influence political decisions.
There are many different methods of action pressure groups can use to influence political decisions. The most effective method is protesting about something you feel strongly about. The second most effective method is sat in. The thirds most effective method is petitions as this shows the government/ or whoever you are trying to convince that there are a number of people that feel strongly about the issue you are trying to keep alive. The final most effective method is. All these methods are used by different groups to influence political decisions.
The most effective method used is protesting. This is a type of direct action. This method is commonly used to attract the government’s attention as you either walk hold banners with your issue written on the front or you sit outside somewhere. An example of a pressure group that uses this method is the group that protested against Heathrow’s third runway. This method is effective because it can almost always make the government change their minds. This method is not effective because it always contains violence, hence why there are always police involved.
The second most effective method used is petitions. This is a type of indirect action. This method is getting other people that feel very strongly about the issue to write on their name on a piece of paper. An example of a pressure group that uses this method is .This method is effective because it shows how many people exactly have/ do agree with the issue. This method is not effective because it is only a piece of paper with names in and is not effective as protesting.
The third most effective method used is (I don’t know what you would call this) this is a type of direct action. This method is good as it puts pressure in the government. An example of a pressure group that uses this method is fathers for justice. This method is not effective because people might think you are just doing it for the attention.
Overall it think that the most effective method is protesting, because, it is a type of direct action, so you are there you can be a part of it. I think this because, it always works as it pressurizes the government to consider the point you are trying to make, as Make Poverty History did in 2005, Tony Blair decided that we should crack down in world hunger. This obviously proved to be a very successful campaign.
Another campaign that went very well once done was one done in 1989 with the Berlin wall. It was bought down after 28 years; this was partly due to protest. This is why I think that protest is the most effective way of campaigning.
Danielle Noble
