Democracy in Scotland Pressure Groups In this section

Democracy in Scotland Pressure Groups

In this section you will learn… • • • What pressure groups are The purpose of pressure groups The aims of pressure groups The methods they used Examples of pressure group action

1) What is a pressure group? • A pressure group is an organisation made up of like minded people • They share a similar view or goal • Pressure groups usually want to change something • They wish to see the government take action in support of their issue • A group is more powerful than an individual (means they have more money, persuasive, catch media) Can be: - Small, local, only exist for a short period of time (ie – campaign to stop a school closure) - Large, international groups aiming to change more than one thing

What are pressure groups and how do they affect political decision making? Watch the following clip. Be prepared to discuss with the class.

Environmental activists dressed as polar bears demonstrate.

Rally Against Debt

2) The purpose of a pressure group • 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 or in mainstream politics, as they have an interest only in one particular issue.

• Pressure groups allow people the opportunity to participate in democracy by being involved in social change without necessarily joining a political party. • In some ways, pressure groups may be viewed as essential to democracy because they allow the free expression of opinion and the opportunity to influence governments. Because of this, pressure groups are not tolerated in non-democratic countries.

The founding principles of the Scottish Parliament give pressure groups opportunities to directly influence government policy. It encourages responsible participation in the democratic process.

Pressure groups want to see the government take action in one area like the environment, animal welfare, the elderly, helping the poor in Africa or the UK… Task: how many pressure groups can you name? Make a list in your jotter.

3) 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 by 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 Dumbartonshire that campaigns on a number of issues in the area. • This has included banning phone masts, town centre regeneration and reducing speed limits.

Influence • In 2008, Kenny Shand from Disability Help Scotland raised a petition in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the problems caused by able-bodied drivers parking in spaces designated for disabled drivers. The Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009 became law on October 1 2009.

• Developments such as Freedom of Information laws, the internet, social networking and a 24/7 media, mean pressure groups are aware of their power and are becoming increasingly professional in the way they work.

• There are many groups in Scotland who aim to influence political decision making, and because the Scottish Parliament has a number of devolved powers, UK based pressure organisations will often have a designated Scottish section which deals with issues in Scotland. • For example, pressure groups covering education or health will have to have a very strong focus on the Scottish Parliament as those policies in Scotland are now very different from the rest of the UK.

• • • 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.

• Show Racism The Red Card is an anti -racist educational charity. It aims to combat racism through enabling role models, who are predominately but not exclusively footballers, to present an anti-racist message to young people and others.

Friends of Union Terrace Gardens • The controversial plan to replace a Victorian park in the centre of Aberdeen with a modern park and buildings. • The project had been controversial from the start. It had been proposed by local oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood, who had promised to invest £ 50 million in the scheme • The existing park, Union Terrace Gardens, had been designed by the architects who also built many of the granite buildings for which Aberdeen is famous. • Opponents of the project formed a campaign group known as Friends of Union Terrace Gardens. The campaign group held a mass picnic in the gardens on 12 June 2010 which attracted over a thousand people and generated nearly 400 letters to councillors opposing the plans. • Aberdeen council rejected the City Garden project.

Types of Pressure Groups • Sectional pressure groups seek to represent the common interests of a particular section of society. As a result, members of sectional pressure groups are directly and personally concerned with the outcome of the campaign fought by the group because they usually stand to gain professionally and/or economically. Trade unions, employers’ associations and professional bodies are all sectional groups. • Cause or 'promotional' groups - These have open membership from the public. They promote a cause, eg Friends of the Earth, which is concerned with protecting the environment.

Types of Pressure Groups Cause Group Sectional Group Members who join these groups have concerns about a specific issue. Members join these groups because they represent their position in employment or society. These groups are open to nearly everybody and numbers in their thousands. These groups exclusive to their members and are closed to many. They most well-known of these groups are trade unions. Some groups are small and may be only temporary, depending on the issue at stake. Groups will be well organised. Others may be decades old and campaign on They will campaign on many issues which a global issue. affect their members Many of these pressure groups are also registered charities. They are often more successful than cause groups as they can threaten industrial action.

Task • Complete questions 1 to 9 on page 75 of course notes textbook.

Methods of Pressure Groups

What methods do pressure groups use? "Insider" and "outsider" groups • As reflected across the UK, special interest bodies in Scotland take the form of 'outsider' and 'insider' groups, depending on the political perspective of the party in power. • http: //www. bbc. co. uk/education/clips/zy 8 q 6 sg • Outsider groups are those whose aims do not have the support of the government. They tend to adopt media based, high profile campaigns to capture public attention. For example, the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (Scottish CND). • Scottish CND would like to see the UK give up its nuclear weapons, which are based in Scotland. Scottish CND therefore, has to resort to protests and internet campaigns, lobbying the Government from the outside.

• http: //www. bbc. co. uk/education/clips/ztg 9 jxs • By contrast, insider groups have the support and attention of government and officials who will often approach them for advice as well as having regular discussions. • A good example of an insider group is the British Medical Association (BMA Scotland). It supports government plans to tackle problem drinking and has offered expert medical advice to the Scottish Government. Insider groups will rarely organise demonstrations or marches. Instead they will rely on frequent meetings with the Scottish Government, often behind the scenes and away from the cameras to influence decision making.

Methods used by Pressure Groups 1. Contacting decision makers Pressure groups contact MPs, MSPs or Local Councillors. A pressure group may also arrange a meeting with a representative in order to lobby for his or her support.

2. Petitions • Pressure groups use public petitions to show decision makers that the public feel strongly about their issue. One of the most successful petitions was the Snowdrop campaign in its attempt to ban the private ownership of handguns. Over 750, 000 people signed the petition in response to the 1996 Dunblane shooting in which 16 children and their teacher were killed.

3. Marches, demonstrations and rallies • Pressure groups can arrange public protests as long as they give notice to the authorities and conduct them in a legal manner. A good example of this is ‘Stop the War Coalition’. • In Feb 2003 the biggest ever single pressure group march took place in London to voice opposition to the proposal to begin military operations in Iraq. Over a million people took to the streets. Marches also took place in Glasgow. • This can be a very effective way of getting the medias attention and promoting an issue.

4. Poster, leaflets and internet campaigns • Most pressure groups ask for donations or a membership fee from their followers. • This allows them to pay for campaign material such as posters and leaflets. • They also pay expenses for volunteers to approach people in busy city centres to sign petitions and make donations. • Large pressure groups like Amnesty international create Internet viral campaigns and use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to promote their cause.

5. Mass Media • Some pressure groups make effective use of television, radio and newspapers to promote their cause and put pressure on decision makers. • This could be small scale such as appealing in a local newspaper, or it might involve the appearance of a panellist on a national television current affairs programme such as question time.

Task • Complete question 1 on p 79 – you can bullet point methods and examples. • Stick in the methods of pressure groups sheet to your jotter

Issues with Pressure Groups

1. Law Breaking G 8 Summit, Gleneagles Make Poverty History organised series of protests in 2005. The group had hoped to persuade the leaders to cancel developing world debt. 750 people were arrested after anti capitalist protesters clashed with the police.

Student Riots, London In 2010 a large student protest in London against a rise in tuition fees in England Wales ended in violence when 14 police officers were injured and shop windows smashed. The protests did not force a U-turn by the government but did greatly raise awareness of the issue by the general public.

2. Unfair Influence • Pressure groups, especially large groups, are sometimes criticised of having unfair influence on government decision making. • Pressure groups are undemocratic and do not shape their policies based on their members wishes.

3. Popularity There is a belief that traditional politics is outdated and people, especially young people, find that the alternatives offered by pressure groups is much more connected to their way of thinking.

Peaceful methods can be ineffective Greenpeace also make use of direct action and this can be somewhat aggressive. They often feel peaceful methods have been ineffective. In 2000 Greenpeace ambushed a ship carrying GM soybeans into the UK. Why do some pressure groups Break the law? Examples of Direct Action Commitment and Dedication Illegal direct action - Some pressure group members are willing to break the law. To show commitment and determination to their cause. E. g. Animal rights campaigners have broken into labs and “freed” animals. Others have threatened scientists who test on animals. Publicity Disruption Some pressure groups also want to cause disruption and delay. On 25/02/08 Greenpeace members climbed aboard a plane on Heathrow to protest against a third runway. Tuition Fees Protests Students organised marches through London. Some students rioted and got a lot of publicity from fighting with the police.

Task • Complete questions 1 and 4 on page 79 of Democracy in Scotland booklet

Task • Stick in the 3 pressure groups sheets into your jotter.

Practice Question Explain, in detail, why do some pressure groups choose to break the law? 8 Marks

Freedom of Speech They cannot slander individuals or tell lies in order to try and persuade They have the right to promote their cause by using mass media and new media. people. Right to organise and meet peacefully They can actively try to recruit new members. Volunteers are often paid expenses to visit busy town areas to recruit. They must not try to force people to join and they cannot bully or intimidate those who oppose their aims. Right to protest They have the right to protest through marches, demonstrations and industrial actions. They can also organise a petition to show public support. They must protest legally by following procedures and ensuring protests are peaceful. They should inform the police of their planned route. When organising a petition they cannot falsify signatures ; support must be genuine. Right to Contact Representatives They must not intimidate politicians. They can lobby or contact MPs, MSPs etc. They cannot threaten, blackmail or use terrorism to further their to try and gain their support. cause.

Practice Questions • Answer the following questions in your jotter. Remember to PEE (Point, Explanation, Example) • Be prepared to swap answers with a partner. They will give you a mark out of 6 for each question.

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Specimen Paper – National 5

• Candidates can be credited in a number of ways up to a maximum of 4 marks. • Demonstrations/protest, e. g. recent protests outside the House of Commons concerning student fees. • Petitions—including e-petitions. • Actions to attract media attention, e. g. Greenpeace campaign against whaling. • Lobbying—contacting elected members of the parliament in order to try to gain their support. This can be done by pressure groups themselves or they may employ advisors, i. e. professional lobbyists. Also mass lobbying. • Direct action—disruptive and often illegal forms of protest, e. g. the Faslane peace camp, hunt saboteurs, anti-abortion groups.

Intermediate 2 (2014) Explain question! – you must link back to the question

• The candidate is required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a complex political issue by providing detailed explanations. • Award up to three marks for an explanation, depending on quality, level of detail, relevance, accuracy and exemplification and which shows various factors interacting. • Candidates who only give examples of pressure group methods should be awarded a maximum of 2 marks. • Credit reference to aspects of the following: – demonstrations/protests may be successful if they receive a lot of media attention and attract a large amount of support from public/members etc – petitions may be successful if they are signed/supported by large numbers of people e. g. e-petitions may attract a lot of support as they are easy to complete – direct action/strikes may be successful if they cause a large amount of disruption and force government to take action – professional lobbying may be successful if lobbyists have direct access to those in power and if government is sympathetic to views of pressure group. – Any other valid point.

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