Pressure groups aim to influence government policy through lobbying and propaganda. They represent organized groups focused on a shared issue or interest. Pressure groups' power depends on factors like wealth, size, and strong leadership. They can exert influence through ministers, parliament, political parties, and by shaping public opinion. While pressure groups can promote democracy through wider participation, they also potentially threaten democracy if their influence becomes disproportionate or not transparent.

1. Pressure
Groups

2. Pressure Groups …
 an organized group that aims to influence the
policies or actions of government through the
use of lobbying and propaganda.
act as a channel of communication between the
people and government.

3. Pressure groups; defined by three
key features:
 They seek to exert influence from outside,
rather than to win or exercise government
power.
 They typically have a narrow issue focus. In
some cases, they may focus on a single
issue.
 Their members are united by either a shared

4. History
 First, in the pre-industrial phase from the 1830s to
1870s, charitable organizations assisting the poor
represented the dominant form of association.
Membership in these organization consisted
mostly of middle class citizens.

5. … history
 Second phase corresponds to the process of
industrialization between the 1860s and the early
1900s. During this time, group membership began
to cross class lines. This period saw the
establishment of economic groups such as trade
unions and employer's organizations. Moreover,
agricultural groups formed in order to represent
their interests.

6. … History
 The third phase lasted from 1920 to the late 1950s
and was characterized by the emergence of
professional associations and promotional groups.
Group membership increased to embrace
progressively larger segments of the population.

7. … history
 The fourth and present phase can be regarded as a
product of post industrialism. It is characterized by
the rise of groups promoting postindustrial values,
environmental issues, and civil rights. In general,
postindustrial democracies tend to display a higher
level of pluralism than previous phases.

9. Types of Pressure Groups
 Interest groups and Cause Groups
 Insider Groups and Outsider
Groups

10. Interest Groups
A pressure group that
exists to advance or
protect the (usually
material) interests of
its members.
Features:
They are concerned to
protect or advance the
interests of their
members.
Membership is limited
to people in a particular
occupation, career or
economic position.
Members are

11. Cause groups
A pressure group
that exists to
advance particular
values, ideals and
principles.
Features:
They seek to advance
particular ideals or
principles.
Membership is open to
all.
Members are
motivated by moral or
altruistic concerns (the
betterment of others).

13. Insider groups
A pressure group that
enjoys regular, privileged
and usually
institutionalized access
to government
Subcategories:
High-profile insider
groups.
Low-profile insider
groups.
Prisoner groups.

14. Outsider groups
A pressure group that is
either not consulted by
government or consulted
only irregularly and not
usually at a senior level
Kinds:
Potential insider groups.
Outsider groups by
necessity.
Ideological outsider
groups.

16. Kinds of pressures and Pressure politics
 Group Pressure in
the Legislature.
The activities of
pressure groups in
the legislature are
most evident in the
support of a
legislative proposal if
it is for the
promotion of the
Group Pressure
Upon
Administrators. If a
pressure group fails
to win the support of
the legislature on a
bill it is interested in
defeating, it may still
strive for a
presidential veto.

17. Kinds of Pressures…
 Group Pressure
Upon Judges.
Pressure politics has
also gained access into
the sanctuaries of
justice- the courts.
Group Pressure
Upon Political
Parties and
Candidates. Group
pressure brought up to
bear upon political
parties and candidates
is done through
electioneering.

18. LOBBYING
TECHNIQUE
LOBBY is a “term derived from
the Halls of Britain’s House of
Commons” where people could,
and still do, approach member of
the Parliament to plead
their cause.
LOBBYISTS are groups
that aim to pursue campaigns
to oppose a bill or to organize
an advertising campaign aimed
at raising people’s awareness
with the public.
LOBBYING is thus a technique of
influence, helping INTEREST
GROUPS advance their common goals.

19. TYPES OF LOBBYING
DIRECT LOBBYING
Act of communicating a specific position directly to
a legislator, staff member and any other public
official who has a voice in a piece of legislation
GRASSROOTS LOBBYING
Communicates a particular view regarding a specific
legislative proposal to the general public and
persuades citizens to relay this view to their local
legislators.

20. Functions of pressure groups
 Representation
 Political participation
 Education

21. REPRESENTATION
PRESSURE GROUPS provide a mouthpiece for
groups and interests that are not adequately
represented through the electoral process or by
political parties.
 *FUNCTIONAL REPRESENTATION -
alternative to the formal representative.

22. POLITICAL
PARTICIPATION
PRESSURE GROUPS convince people
effectively to develop interest and participation
from broad based discussions on pressing issues
affecting them.

23. EDUCATION
PRESSURE GROUPS operate largely
through their ability to communicate with the
public and raise political consciousness

24. POLICY
FORMULATION
PRESSURE GROUPS are a vital source of
information and advice to governments.

25. Policy implementation
 The role of some pressure groups extends
beyond trying to shape the content of public
policy to playing a role in putting policy into
practice.

26. STRATEGIES OF PRESSURE
GROUPS
INTEREST GROUPS IN THE LEGISLATIVE
DEPARTMENT
 monitor the preparation of a legislative bill
 look for a legislator to introduce it
 influence the committee and subcommittee to which it is assigned
 follow it through hearings, subcommittee vote, full committee vote, and house vote
INTEREST GROUPS IN THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT
 employ about the same strategies they practiced with lawmakers
 providing the concerned agency research statistics and factual information
 personal communication with executive officials through hired contact men
 other publicity campaigns and propaganda tactics
INTEREST GROUPS IN THE JUDICIARY
 manipulating what could be court decisions

27. OTHER STRATEGIES OF INTEREST
GROUPS
POPULAR
SYMPATHY AND
APPEALS TO THE
PUBLIC
PARLIAMENTARY
TACTICS AND
SHEER
DEMONSTRATION
SUPPORTING
POLITICAL
PARTIES AND
CANDIDATES
VIOLENT MASS
ACTION

28. Factors affect the power of individual
groups:
 Wealth
 Size
 Organization and Leadership

29. WEALTH
Business groups have a number of key advantages over
other groups:
As the main source of employment and investment in the economy,
all governments, regardless of their ideological beliefs, must seek their
cooperation and support.
They possess knowledge and expertise that are essential to the
formulation of economic, industrial and trade policies.
They possess the financial strength to employ professional lobbyists
and public relations consultants, and to make donations to political
parties.
They often have high public profiles, have access to the media and
can run advertising campaigns.

30. SIZE
LARGE GROUPS CAN CLAIM TO REPRESENT
PUBLIC OPINION.
 Government listens to them because, at the end of the day, their
members can have an electoral impact.
MORE MEMBERS MEANS MORE
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS.
 Large groups tend to be wealthy groups
A LARGE MEMBERSHIP ALLOWS GROUPS
TO ORGANIZE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
AND PROTESTS.
 Groups such as trade unions use their members as a key resource.
Members are the main people who turn up to marches and
demonstrations.

31. ORGANIZATION AND
LEADERSHIP
Organization
helps groups to
mobilize their
resources
effectively and
to take
concerted
action. Some
groups are
easier to
organize than
others
The attributes of an effective leader include:
ACUTE POLITICAL SKILLS – they
know how the policy process works, who to
network with and how to exert pressure
GOOD POLITICAL CONTACTS – they
know the ‘right’ people
DEVELOPED MEDIA AND
PRESENTATIONAL SKILLS – they know
how to put a case
A HIGH PUBLIC PROFILE – they are
publicly recognized and maybe even liked

32. How do pressure groups exert influence?
 Ministers and civil servants
 Parliament
 Political parties


33. Which pressure groups are the most
powerful?
 Affecting government policy – policy-
making power
 Pushing an issue up the political agenda
– agenda-setting power
 Changing people’s values, perceptions

34. The rise of pressure-group power
 The growth of cause groups
 The widening of access points
 Globalization

35. The decline of pressure groups
 The end of corporatism
 A decline in meaningful and active
participation

36. How do pressure groups promote
democracy?
 Supplement electoral democracy
 Widen political participation
 Promote education
 Ensure competition and debate

37. How do pressure groups threaten
democracy?
 Increase political inequality
 Exercise non-legitimate power
 Exert ‘behind the scenes’ influence
 Lead to the tyranny of the minority