A pressure group is an organization made up of individuals who want to influence decision making on issues they are passionate about. Pressure groups form because representatives are sometimes unwilling or unable to listen to individuals, so groups feel they can have more success pressuring the government. Pressure groups vary greatly in size from local groups protesting a new development to large international organizations addressing global problems. They aim to influence policy but do not want to be in government themselves.

1. An Introduction to Pressure Groups
What is a Pressure Group?
A pressure group is an organisation made up of like-minded individuals who
want to influence decision making. Many people have passions in life –
perhaps for the environment, or for animal rights. In the UK these people
have the right to go to their representatives (Local Councillors, MPs &
MSPs) about the issues that concern them. However, often representatives
are either unwilling or unable to listen……….. therefore, another route has
to be taken to get the message across.
Some individuals feel that they will have more success in pressuring the
Government as a group rather than as individuals. There are thousands of
pressure groups in the UK and they vary in size from a small group of locals
protesting about the building of a new supermarket up to multinational
organisations protesting about global warming.
Pressure groups do not want to be in Government as they have an interest
only in one particular issue.
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2. What are the aims of Pressure Groups?
Every pressure group will have a different set of aims. A pressure group
may only have one aim. For example the Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament (CND) wants nuclear weapons to be scrapped completely in all
nations. It will continue to campaign until this happens.
On the other hand some groups have many aims and many campaigns, such
as the Woodhill Residents Group, which is a small pressure group in the
Bishopbriggs area of East Dunbartonshire that campaigns on a number of
issues in the area, including banning phone masts, town centre improvements
and reducing speed limits. The aims of pressure groups can be classified by
what type of pressure group they are.
Types of Pressure Groups
Some pressure groups are called interest groups. This means they only
campaign for the good of their members. The British Medical Association
is a good example of an interest group. Its members are doctors and it
only campaigns on issues that will benefit doctors.
However, in this unit we are going to focus on CAUSE groups:
Members who join these groups have concerns about a specific issue.

These groups are open to nearly everybody.

Some groups are small and may only be temporary, depending on the
issue at stake.

Others may be decades old and campaign on a global scale,

Many of these pressure groups are registered charities.
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3. Examples of Cause Groups
Paired Task
Look at the Pressure Group Logos above. Using
only the images try to guess what issue each of
the Pressure groups campaign on.
Individual Activities
1. What is a pressure group?
2. Why do some people living in a democracy feel the need to
join a pressure group?
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