Pressure Groups Pressure Groups Lecture 3Lecture 3

The problem of assessing The problem of assessing effectivenesseffectiveness

Not a purely academic questionNot a purely academic question

Visit from Trade Association Forum Visit from Trade Association Forum last weeklast week

Some literature is now talking about Some literature is now talking about ‘capacity’ rather than ‘effectiveness’‘capacity’ rather than ‘effectiveness’

That emphasise ability to act rather That emphasise ability to act rather than outcomesthan outcomes

Problems of methodology (1)Problems of methodology (1)

Power or influence cannot be Power or influence cannot be quantifiedquantified

One is often dealing with One is often dealing with ‘reputational’ measures – where does ‘reputational’ measures – where does power reside?power reside?

Government may manipulate Government may manipulate outcomesoutcomes

Problems of methodology (2)Problems of methodology (2)

Can a given outcome be attributed to Can a given outcome be attributed to a particular group – often many a particular group – often many actors with complex set of objectivesactors with complex set of objectives

Less consensus than there used to Less consensus than there used to be about a winning strategybe about a winning strategy

State power more fragmented, multi-State power more fragmented, multi-level governance, also new forms of level governance, also new forms of politics. Target may not be state.politics. Target may not be state.

Problems of methodology (3)Problems of methodology (3)

Probably easier to identify Probably easier to identify ineffectiveness and reasons for itineffectiveness and reasons for it

We don’t expect you to solve difficult We don’t expect you to solve difficult methodological problems – but a methodological problems – but a good answer will show awareness of good answer will show awareness of themthem

The group and the targetThe group and the target

What are the group’s objectives?What are the group’s objectives? What relative priority does it give to What relative priority does it give to

those objectives?those objectives? What resources does it have at its What resources does it have at its

disposal?disposal? How efficient is it at mobilising them?How efficient is it at mobilising them? Any coalition building?Any coalition building? Serious internal tensions?Serious internal tensions?

The targetThe target

How does it rate the group?How does it rate the group? Sanctioning power?Sanctioning power? Expertise, research backed Expertise, research backed

evidence?evidence? LegitimacyLegitimacy Popular supportPopular support Can the group be excluded?Can the group be excluded?

The target (2)The target (2)

Are there internal divisions within the Are there internal divisions within the target, e.g., government?target, e.g., government?

Is the group seen as a client of a Is the group seen as a client of a particular ministry?particular ministry?

Is the group reliant on financial Is the group reliant on financial support from the target?support from the target?

Can government ‘harden up’ Can government ‘harden up’ proposals to give empty proposals to give empty concessions?concessions?

Manipulation of the agendaManipulation of the agenda

The case of the proposed new airport The case of the proposed new airport near Rugbynear Rugby

Governments engage in ‘synoptic’ Governments engage in ‘synoptic’ decision-making on new airports, decision-making on new airports, look at all possibilitieslook at all possibilities

Real aim was to get 2Real aim was to get 2ndnd runway at runway at Birmingham, deflect protest Birmingham, deflect protest elsewhereelsewhere

What governments want from What governments want from groupsgroups

Evidence from Baggott et al, Evidence from Baggott et al, Speaking for Patients and CarersSpeaking for Patients and Carers

Governance structure – election of Governance structure – election of leaders, clear organisational leaders, clear organisational framework, dialogue and high quality framework, dialogue and high quality interaction with members (would interaction with members (would disqualify many social movements)disqualify many social movements)

Policy skills – no difficult or Policy skills – no difficult or vociferous peoplevociferous people

Countervailing groupsCountervailing groups

Key idea of pluralistsKey idea of pluralists Canoeists wanting access to riversCanoeists wanting access to rivers Found themselves up against alliance Found themselves up against alliance

of landowners and ‘gnomes’ of landowners and ‘gnomes’ (anglers)(anglers)

More generally seen historically as More generally seen historically as unions opposing employers, but unions opposing employers, but more likely to be environmental more likely to be environmental groups todaygroups today

Group resources (membership)Group resources (membership)

Any competition for members?Any competition for members? How important is legacy income – 25% for How important is legacy income – 25% for

many groupsmany groups Can members be mobilised for campaigns. Can members be mobilised for campaigns.

Do they have relevant skills? Do they have relevant skills? Does group go for elite or restricted Does group go for elite or restricted

membership or mass membership?membership or mass membership? Numbers do count – canoeists versus Numbers do count – canoeists versus

ramblers and anglersramblers and anglers

Group resources (finance)Group resources (finance)

Baggott et al found clear relationship Baggott et al found clear relationship between income of group and between income of group and number of examples of influence number of examples of influence reportedreported

Income pays for high quality staffIncome pays for high quality staff A small group can win a particular A small group can win a particular

point with a well researched case, point with a well researched case, but in general money talksbut in general money talks

Relationship with cultural norms Relationship with cultural norms (Rose typology)(Rose typology)

Harmony with general cultural Harmony with general cultural norms, e.g., animal welfarenorms, e.g., animal welfare

Political values supporting group Political values supporting group demands become more acceptable demands become more acceptable over time – opposition to smokingover time – opposition to smoking

Fluctuating support from cultural Fluctuating support from cultural norms – CPRE and ‘Englishness’norms – CPRE and ‘Englishness’

Rose typology (2)Rose typology (2)

Cultural indifference – pedestriansCultural indifference – pedestrians Opposition to long-term cultural Opposition to long-term cultural

trends – temperance, Sunday trends – temperance, Sunday openingopening

Conflict between cultural values and Conflict between cultural values and pressure group goals. Civil liberties pressure group goals. Civil liberties groups?groups?

Contingency and policy windowsContingency and policy windows

Politics is highly contingent – Politics is highly contingent – dependent on particular dependent on particular combinations of actors and eventscombinations of actors and events

Policy drivers: 9/11 and emphasis on Policy drivers: 9/11 and emphasis on security policysecurity policy

Global warming, tendency to drive Global warming, tendency to drive out other aspects of environmental out other aspects of environmental policypolicy

Framing of issuesFraming of issues

Something becomes an ‘issue’, e.g. Something becomes an ‘issue’, e.g. obesityobesity

23% of UK population defined as 23% of UK population defined as obese, consequences for health care obese, consequences for health care costscosts

But who is to ‘blame’? Individuals? But who is to ‘blame’? Individuals? Food processors? Retailers? Food processors? Retailers? Advertisers?Advertisers?

Kingdon’s analysis of issuesKingdon’s analysis of issues

Awareness of problem – indicators Awareness of problem – indicators (quantitative measures); events; feedback(quantitative measures); events; feedback

Policy stream – primeval soup of ideas Policy stream – primeval soup of ideas which may float to the top or fall to the which may float to the top or fall to the bottombottom

Political stream – national mood; organised Political stream – national mood; organised political forces (including pressure political forces (including pressure groups); government (changes in groups); government (changes in personnel and jurisdiction); consensus personnel and jurisdiction); consensus buildingbuilding

Window of opportunityWindow of opportunity

At critical times political, policy and At critical times political, policy and problem streams come togetherproblem streams come together

Short window of opportunity like Short window of opportunity like launch window in a space missionlaunch window in a space mission

Smart pressure group will be able to Smart pressure group will be able to recognise and seize opportunityrecognise and seize opportunity

Strategy issues cause tensions Strategy issues cause tensions within groupswithin groups

Greenpeace overcomes this by being Greenpeace overcomes this by being hierarchically organisedhierarchically organised

Paul Gilchrist’s work on canoeists Paul Gilchrist’s work on canoeists shows variety of stances within one shows variety of stances within one movementmovement

Frustrated consenters accept rights Frustrated consenters accept rights of riparian landowners, but claim it is of riparian landowners, but claim it is an injusticean injustice

Paddling your canoe (2)Paddling your canoe (2)

‘‘Trade unionists’ – seek to pursue Trade unionists’ – seek to pursue legal and moral claims through legal and moral claims through courts, assert equity of treatment courts, assert equity of treatment with others given accesswith others given access

Martyrs – still within rights discourse, Martyrs – still within rights discourse, but use confrontational techniques of but use confrontational techniques of mass trespassmass trespass

Paddling your canoe (3)Paddling your canoe (3)

Rebels who call themselves ‘bandits Rebels who call themselves ‘bandits by stealth’by stealth’

Paddle canoes in small groupsPaddle canoes in small groups A much more individual approach, A much more individual approach,

rejection of collective actionrejection of collective action Hence seen by others as Hence seen by others as

undermining collective protestundermining collective protest

Can the issues get more difficult?Can the issues get more difficult?

Environmental groups dealt with Environmental groups dealt with relatively easy issues – water quality, relatively easy issues – water quality, endangered speciesendangered species

Harder issues where change may Harder issues where change may affect jobs or lifestylesaffect jobs or lifestyles

Climate changeClimate change Water availabilityWater availability Fish stocksFish stocks

ConclusionConclusion

Policies do not change just because Policies do not change just because of pressure group activityof pressure group activity

Other factors include level of public Other factors include level of public interest; political stance of interest; political stance of government; ideas from think tanksgovernment; ideas from think tanks

Public opinion + government policy Public opinion + government policy + group activity = public policy+ group activity = public policy