1. An Introduction to Pressure Groups
What are Pressure Groups?
How are traditional pressure groups and political parties similar/different?

2. Head and Heart response; write on your whiteboards what thoughts and words and what you think might be going on in the following images….

23. Now explain… What is going on in these images? Who was involved?
Were they successful?
Why/why not?
Are they a pressure group?
What is a pressure group?
What are the functions of pressure groups?

24. What is a pressure group?
Groups consisting of members of the public
Can be local, national or international
Cover the whole spectrum of policy issues
Formed to influence public policy
Defensive, campaigning and voluntary groups

25. What is a pressure group?
An organised group which has as one of its purposes the need to exert influence or pure pressure on political institutions for the purpose of seeking a favorable decision or preventing an unfavorable one. they seek influence rather than political power and are outside rather than inside the government.

26. Basic Categorisation
Pressure Groups can be categorized in the following ways, Interest/Sectional groups or Promotional/Cause/Issue Groups.
And they can be either Insider or Outsider Groups.
They operate within Pluralist government systems.

27. New Social Movements
More recently there has been an increase in N.S.M's or New Social Movements. which appear as a reaction to a specific issue of importance and usually disappear when the issue is over, such as Make Poverty History

28. New social movements Feminism Environmentalism Anti-nuclear
Peace
Third world
Gay liberation
Each encompassing many individual pressure groups
essentially large-scale mobilizations around single issues
reflect a generally greater readiness to engage in ‘direct’ or ‘unconventional’ action: marches – demonstrations – donations
– sit-ins – protest-actions – media events
Unorganized
Issues normally ignored by conventional institutions
Focus on change in public awareness
Explanations: structural shift, value shift

29. How do Parties and Pressure Groups differ?
If successful will often have achieved their aim and have no further raison d’etre (reason to exist)
Focus on one single- issue or a narrow range of issues.
Organised to fight campaigns
Organised to fight elections
Appeal to voters on all issues
Seek to influence government policy
If successful will grow and have a long term future
Seek to win governmental power

30. How do Parties and Pressure Groups differ?
Political parties
Pressure groups
Seek to win governmental power
Seek to influence government policy
Appeal to voters on all issues
Focus on one single- issue or a narrow range of issues.
Organised to fight elections
Organised to fight campaigns
If successful will grow and have a long term future
If successful will have achieved their aim and have no further raison d’etre (reason to exist)