What are pressure groups?
• A pressure group is made up of like
minded people who have come together
because they feel strongly about an
issue.
WE ALL LOVE MODERN STUDIES!!
Pressure groups
• Pressure groups try and put pressure on
a number of different people or
organisations especially the government,
local authorities , businesses or the
media.
To get something done or changed
Why put pressure on individuals,
Parties, organisations or
The government?
To stop something from
happening
Improve conditions for their
members
Pressure groups
• Pressure groups are more powerful than
individuals as people working together
have the potential to be more influential
than one person on their own.
• UNITY IS STRENGTH!
Nationwide membership
Amnesty international has
Over 1 million members.
Financial strength
Members may have
To pay a joining
Fee and this gives
The pressure
Group money to fund
campaigns
Media attention
Reports what the groups
Are trying to achieve
What makes pressure
Groups powerful?
Govt may ask for their help.
Pressure groups tend to know all about a particular
area and tend to be experts. So the govt may ask
them for advice when introducing a new law or
change in a law. (See booklet for examples).
CAUSE GROUPS
• Cause groups exist to put forward a
SINGLE OBJECTIVE.
• Two examples of cause groups:
– The campaign to discourage smoking (ASH).
– The campaign for nuclear disarmament
(CND).
They share the view about
How life could be improved
They have a “cause” which
They believe in e.g. a ban
On all blood sports.
CAUSE GROUPS
They want to change public
Opinion on an issue.
If they achieve their goal
They can be disbanded
Cause groups
• Cause groups pursue objectives that are not
directly linked to the advancement of the
members.
• They are united by the similar view its
members have about how society can improve.
• More examples of cause groups:
– Anti fox-hunting group,
– anti-abortion group.
INTEREST GROUP
• They exist to advance the economic and
professional interest of their members.
• Interest groups have a vested interest
in a particular section of society.
• EIS- for teachers
They look after the interests
Of a group.
For example Trade unions seek
To promote the welfare of their
Members. All who have a common
Interest.
They are concerned with
Social, economic and
Political interests.
INTEREST GROUP
Pressure groups power in policy
making
• The amount of power a pressure group
will have depends largely on its status.
• There are “Insider” and “outsider”
groups.
Insider groups are regarded by the government
As potentially helpful and are consulted on issues.
Outsider groups do NOT wield as much power as they
Are NOT asked to consult with the government.
Insider and Outsider Pressure
Groups
• Nil By Mouth are an
Insider Group as the
Scottish Government
asked them for advice on
the Sectarianism Bill.
• PETA are an outsider
Group as they are not
consulted by the
government and don’t want
to have a ‘cosy’
relationship with them
How do pressure
groups
participate?
Success Criteria
• Pupils will be able to:
– Describe methods used by pressure groups
to influence governments.
– Explain how each method influences the
government.
– Give relevant examples from Scotland of
pressure groups and their methods used
and the degree to which this has been
successful.
Direct Mailing
Contacting people
To ask for financial
Support and to take
action
Letter writing
Thousands of letters
Being sent directly to
Representatives.
Insider groups have access to
information and are often called
to formulate policy
Professional lobbying
Paying professionals to
Lobby decision makers.
How pressure
groups
Influence
government policy
Lobbying MPs/MSPs
Usually takes place in
Conjunction with a petition
Or march. MSPs would
Meet representatives and
Listen to their arguments
Poster and leaflet Public
Petitions
FOR
EXAMPLE
Mass Media.
Campaign.
Often
of
The hundreds
SNOWDROP
Petitions,
marches
FOR EXAMPLE:
Used to draw
Thousands
of people
Campaign
to ban
handguns Posters gain a lot of
The make poverty
attention to a
Will
sign for¾or
against
Received
million
Attention
PGs can
History and
marches
in
campaign.
A proposal
signatures
Use
the media
to get to
London
and Edinburgh
A huge audience.
Direct Action
• Some groups will “blackmail” the
government through direct action.
EXAMPLE:
In 2000 the fuel tax protest led to panic buying in petrol stations.
By the end of 2000, in the Chancellor’s budget statement, he
announced that there would be a freeze on fuel taxes.
The direct action worked!
Greenpeace also make use of direct action
and this can be somewhat aggressive. In
2000 Greenpeace ambushed a ship carrying
GM soybeans into the UK. On 25/02/08 Greenpeace members climbed
aboard a plane on Heathrow to protest against a third runway.
Examples of direct
Action.
Illegal direct action
Some pressure group members
Are willing to break the law. E.g.
Animal rights campaigners have
Broken into labs and “freed” animals.
Others have threatened scientists
Who test on animals
Tuition Fees Protests
Students organised
marches through London.
Some students rioted and
got a lot of publicity from
fighting with the police.
Pressure Groups
CASE STUDIES…
Pressure group case study
• It is important when answering a
question on pressure groups that you
include examples.
• In our case the examples should be
from SCOTLAND.
NIL BY MOUTH
Nil by mouth
• Nil by mouth is an anti-sectarian
charity.
• Set up in 2000 after a Glasgow
schoolboy was the victim of a brutal
sectarian murder in 1995.
• Law and order is a devolved matter so
this pressure group can have direct
influence on decision making in Scotland.
“ Sectarianism, racism and bigotry have
No place in modern Scotland. Everyone’s
Religious beliefs should be respected and
Celebrated.”
-Nil By Mouth’s charter for change.
The churches to preach
A strong anti-sectarian
Message and to work
Together across faiths
Organisations they
Have called upon
To bring this
change
The Scottish parliament
Should monitor how the
Police deal with such offences
The Scottish
Govt and LA’s to
Promote anti-sectarianism
Through education.
Rangers and Celtic
To agree to introduce
Measure to reduce
Sectarianism among
Supporter.
Employers (for both paid
And voluntary work) to ensure
Employees know it will
not be tolerated.
Exam Practice
Describe, in detail ways in which pressure
groups can influence the government.
• In your answer you should:
– Give at least two relevant ways pressure
groups influence government.
– Explain how your chosen ways influence
government
– Give relevant examples from Scotland.
(8 Marks).
DVD notes
We are going to watch a video about
Sectarianism in Scotland. As you
watch take notes on the following:
• The problem of Sectarianism
• What the government is doing to
solve the problem of Sectarianism