pressure group

   Pressure groups are private and voluntary organisations that seek to influence particular government policies but do not wish to become the government or control all government policies. They operate in the space between government and society, consulting with ministers and providing continuous opportunities for citizens to become involved in political life. Their nature and degree of influence varies from country to country. Generally speaking, business is close to government, for what government does affects business just as the decisions of businesspeople in areas such as job creation and investment have important repercussions for ministers. However, many other interests in society are also affected by ministerial decisions and wish to make their views known in the appropriate quarters. Employees are organised via the trade union movement, and various other groups represent farmers, churches and a host of civic, environmental and social causes. Groups are as diverse as they are numerous, ranging from the high-profile National Farmers’ Union to the rather more obscure groups that campaign for the provision of better public lavatories. Some 34,000 organisations are recognised by the Directory of British Associations, but there are many more that operate at the local level.

   Groups overlap with political parties but there are important differences. Notably, they wish to achieve influence, whereas parties wish to run the government. Groups are interested in one broad policy area, whereas party programmes are more wide-ranging. Also allied to group activity is that of the new social movements, more loosely knit organisations that try to influence policy on broad issues such as the environment and nuclear energy.

   Different categories of group may emphasise different access points as they go about their work. Obvious direct targets are the executive and the legislature, but groups also work via the courts, political parties, public and media campaigns, devolved bodies, local government and at the international level (for example, via the European Union).

   Further reading: D. Watts, Pressure Groups, Edinburgh University Press, 2006