• An association of people who share certain political goals 
• Pressure groups seek either to defend or futher interests of a paticular section of society or to promote a particular cause or issue
• They do not seek governmental power, but merely  to influence the political system
• They seek to mobilise as wide a level of support as possible 

• Represent a section of society 
• Only intereseted in the interests of that group and have narrow goals
• E.G. Confederation of British Industry (CBI), National Union of Students (NUS), British Bankers' Association (BBA) 

• Pursue an issue or a cause 
• They are open to all members of the community and are altruistic 
• They believe that their cause or issue will benefit the community 
• E.G. Friends of the Earth (FoE), Unlock Democracy, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)

• Pressure groups that have special connections with government and Parliament
• Direct access to decision-makers and are involved with the development of policy
• They are regularly consulted by ministers, civil servants and policy advisors 
• Consulted by Parliamentary Committees
• Have representatives sitting on policy and advisory committees
• E.G. National Farmers Union (NFU), Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA), Automobile Association (AA)

• Do not have direcect acess to government or Parliament or Decision makers in general
• Possibly to  maintain their independence or the decision makers do not wish to be associated with them 
• Operate by Mobilising public support and put pressure on decision-makers 
• Use direct action i.e. street demonstrations, publicity stunts
• Use media campaigns, the internet and social networks
• Use e-petitions
• e.g. Greenpeace, Animal Liberation front, Countryside Alliance 

• Parties actively seek to gain governmental power or a share of power, wheras groups do not seek power
• Parties must develop policies across the full range of government business; pressure groups have narrow goals normally concentrating on one isue or the narrow interests of one group 
• Parties have to make themselves accountable for their policies, pressure groups do not 
• Parties normally have a formal organisation, pressure groups may be formally organised, but sare often very loose organisations 

• Pressure groups sometimes put up candidates up for election in order to publicise their goals or ssue, bt does not mean they seek power, merely influence
• Some pressure groups develop a wide range of policies like parties e.g. Trade unions and the CBI
• Sometimes pressure groups transform themselves into parties there may be confusion over such transitional groups - e.g. The Green Party and UKIP
• Some pressure groups are very closely associated with parties, e.g. trade unions with Labour (less so now), Countryside Alliance and Conservatives 

• They dispese power and influence very widely (especially mass membership groups)
• They ensure that many groups are able to exert political influence
• They help to protect the interests of groups in society (sectional groups) 
• They balance the power of centralised government

• Some poweful wealthy, influential pressure groups may concentrate power in few hands (for example, large producer grups)
• Influential insider groups may seve to concentrate more power in government hands
• Some pressure groups may be led by unaccountable elites
• Some groups may hold a disproportionate amount of power 

• Membership of, and identification with, political parties is declining. Pressure group activity has replaced this, to some extent.
• Arguably the electorate is now better informed and therefire more able to become involved in political issues
• The internet and new social made have made it more practicable to mount campaigns and initiate new associations 
• Both the number of pressure groups and their memebership. Some groups have millions of members and supporters
• Society has become more pluralistic and fragmented into groups which have special interests. Refelected in the proliferation of interest groups. 
• The political system is now more accessible to group activity, there are more points of access and politicians are more sensitive to public opinion
• Growing affluence means that the population have more interests and thus make more demands on the politcal system 

Methods used by pressure groups 

• Lobbying ministers - Insiders feel they can influence decisions and policy - e.g. CBI 
• Sitting on advisory and policy committees in governent - They can supply specialist information and advice - British Medical Association 
• Lobbying EU institutions - Most of their concers are under the jurisdiction of the EU - National Farmers' Union 
• Organising mass publc demonstrations - They have widespread support but are outsiders - Stop the war campaign 
• Media Campaigns - Celebrities are involved and th issue captures the public imagination - Justice for Ghurkas campaign 
• Civil disobedience - Outsider groups need to attract publicity - Green Peace
• Internet Campaigns - Probably issues that appeal mostly to the young - Friends of the earth
• Action through law courts - The rights of members are threatened - Trade unions 

• Resources - Financial and organisational, giving a group the ability and people to mount a major campaign e.g. The countryside Alliance organised mass demonstratons in London and Anti-foc hunting legislation was sucessfully watered down in 2004
• Insider Status - being established in government circles and well trusted e.g. ASH, a series of pieces of legislation were intorduced to deter and reduce smoking
• Lack of opposition - Make poverty history in 1900s and 200s, experienced little opposition to its championing of developing countris, governments raised heir commitments to foreign debt relief and increased overseas aid 
• Tactics -  groups may find a good formula for influening government and mobilising public suppor e.g. Save England's forests used a variety of tactics, including a huge e-petition ceberity campaigners, demonstrations and MP involvement  and plans to sell of large quantities of publicly owned forest in 2010 were cancelled 

• British Bankers' Association - Sectional - Insider - Concentrates power - Lobbying Ministers
• Greenpeace - Promotional - Outsider - Disperse Power - Direct action, Civil Disobidience 
• Liberty - Promotional - Outsider - Disperse power - Media Campaigns 
• Countryside Alliance - Sectional - Outsider - Disperse ower - Media Campaigns, public demonstrations , civil disobedience 
• Institute of Directors - Sectional - Insider - Concentrate Power - Lobbying, advisory committees 

• Act as a a form of representation, represent areas of society that may be ignored by political parties
• They help to disperse power more widely, preventing dangerous concentrations of power 
• They help to educate and inform the public about important issues 
• They may help the governing process by providing informed advice - insider pressure groups 
• Provide ways in which people can participate in politics, especially with the decline in traditional forms of participation
• Provide an outlet for public grievance - a process known as 'tension release' 

• They can undermine the authority of elected officials and Parliament
• They can be seen as representing the 'politics of self-interest' and may present the public with biased or even false information 
• If they are too powerful, they may create 'hyper pluralism' which can hold up the process of government by being too obstructive 
• Pressure groups lack elective legitimacy and are not democratically accountable 
• Those that engage in civil disobedience threaten orer in society and subvert democracy