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1 PRESSURE GROUPS
The term pressure group refers to any interest group whose members because of their shared common
attributes make claims on the other groups and on the political process. They pursue their interests by organising
themselves and by influencing the governmental policies. Their aim is to see that laws or governments actions
are favorable to their interests.

Pressure groups are defined by three key features:

They seek to exert influence from outside, rather than to win or exercise government power. Pressure groups
do not make policy decisions, but rather try to influence those who do (the policy-makers). In that sense,
they are external to government.
They typically have a narrow issue focus. In some cases, they may focus on a single issue (for instance
opposing a planned road development).
Their members are united by either a shared belief in a particular cause or a common set of interests.
People with different ideological and party preferences may thus work happily together as members of the
same pressure group.
These groups influence both public policy as well as administration. They also contribute towards determination
of political structure of society and the form of government. Any social group which seeks to influence the
behaviour of any political officer, both administrative as well as legislative, without attempting to gain formal
control of the government can be called a pressure group.

What are the differences between Pressure Groups and Political parties?
Pressure groups and parties may be confused for a number of reasons:
Many small political parties resemble pressure groups in that they have a narrow issue focus.
Some pressure groups use elections as a tactical weapon.
Parties and pressure groups may form part of larger social movements.
But Pressure groups and political parties are different.
Political parties, in the strict sense of the term, are associations of individuals sharing common values and
preferences. They are organised on ideological lines and present a vision for the future. They have well trained
cadres who are engaged in continuous political mobilisation of the masses. They use all the political means
available to capture the power and consolidate their position to attain or realise their ideological goals. In a
broader sense they are also interest groups. They have a social base whose interests it must protect and
promote. They may adopt pragmatic approach and operate only in the immediate context. They may, sometimes,
degenerate to the level of a pressure group to extract benefits for their group. In such a situation the distinction
between a pressure group and political party may even disappear.
The pressure groups unlike the political parties are formed to solve their immediate problems. They are
relatively more temporary than political parties. A pressure group may appear for a short time if it does not
present any long-range programme. However, where the interests of the group are of long-range, the pressure
group may also last longer. In such cases it may even project the sectarian interests as general or universal
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interests. It depends on the imagination of their leadership. The pressure groups may have a well-knit organisation
and organised membership. Generally they do not have cadres and do not directly deal with people. In most
of the cases they deal either with the political parties or governmental apparatus. The pressure groups have far
greater flexibility compared to political parties as they do not go to people and stake their claims for power.
It is precisely this process that distinguishes political parties from pressure groups.

Thedifference between political parties and pressure groupsis as follows:

Political parties are aggregates of interests, organised on a territorial basis. Their main aim is to attain
political power in central and local government.
Pressure groups are based on interests or issues and causes and are organised on a functional basis. Their
main aim is to influence the decisions of those who have political power, but not to seek it for themselves.
Pressure groups are sometimes referred to asinterest groupsor lobbies.

Types of Pressure Group

Although they can be distinguished in a variety of ways (including local/national/transnational groups and
temporary/permanent groups) the most common distinctions are between:

1. Interest and Cause Groups

Interest groups (sometimes called sectional, protective or functional groups) are groups that represent a
particular section of society: workers, employers, consumers, an ethnic or religious group, and so on.
Interest groups have the following features:
a. They are concerned to protect or advance the interests of their members
b. Membership is limited to people in a particular occupation, career or economic position
c. Members are motivated by material self-interest
Trade unions, business corporations, trade associations and professional bodies are the prime examples of this
type of group. They are called sectional groups because they represent a particular section of the population.
Cause groups activities range from charity activities, poverty reduction, education and the environment, to
human rights, international development and peace. Cause groups have the following features:
a. They seek to advance particular ideals or principle
b. Membership is open to all
c. Members are motivated by moral or altruistic concerns (the betterment of others)
Specific examples of cause groups include the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), Amnesty International,
etc.

2. Insiders and outsiders

Insider groups are groups that are consulted on a regular basis by government. They operate inside the
decision-making process, not outside. Their degree, regularity and level of consultation varies, of course. Ultra-
insider groups are regularly consulted at ministerial or senior official level within the executive. They may also
sit on government policy committees and agencies and have links to parliamentary select committees.
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Outsider groups, by contrast, have no special links to government. They are kept, or choose to remain, at arms
length from government. They therefore try to exert influence indirectly via the mass media or through public
opinion campaigns.
Pressure groupscan be seen as providing an additional form of representation within the political system and
an additional channel of political communication.

Classification of Pressure Groups in India

There are pressure groups in every country and India is no exception. They influence decision making to serve
their own interests. Broadly they can be put into four categories according to their aims and objectives which
are given below :
1. Professional Pressure Groups: This category includes the pressure groups that are formed by the employees
of a particular occupation or profession for the protection of their interests. The big business houses with
their vast outlay of resources, availability of technical and managerial personnel and due to close links with
elite groups in government, media, administration and opposition parties have always had the most organized
and powerful pressure groups at their command. Several big business houses have a powerful lobby in the
Parliament and in the legislature. They also have representatives and Public Relations Officers who keep
in touch with administration and top bureaucracy. The largest and the most influential organization of
private capital in India is the FICCI. It represents more than 40,000 firms. It has a large business corporate
world with it. The political parties are dependent on it for funds. In turn, they serve their interests in giving
them the concession in the form of trade, tariff, investment tax, etc. In the contemporary scenario of
globalisation and liberalization, the role of FICCI is all the more important. The government seeks the
suggestions and advice of this group particularly on major policy issues of economical and commercial
nature. The other known business groups like ASSOCHAM, i.e., Associated Chambers of Commerce,
Confederation of Indian Industries. (CII), the Tatas, Birlas, DCM, Dalmia and Hindustan Lever, etc. try
to influence the industrial policies and laws of the government.
Professional pressure groups also includes Trade Unions, Peasant Organizations, Teachers and Students
Organizations and also other association like All India Medical Association, All India Postal & Telegraph
Workers Union, etc. Thus, the influence of big business on financial, industrial and commercial politics
of the country over the years has been considerable. The history of Trade Unions and Peasant Organisations
dates back to the period before independence. All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) was formed in
1920 with the objective to promote socio economic interests of the working class. Hind Mazdoor Sangh,
Centre of India Trade Unions (CITU) are the examples of these types of trade unions. The other trade
unions in other parts of the country in electricity, water, banks, insurance etc. are somewhat affiliated to
the All India Organisations. It has been observed that political parties have been exploiting the farmers and
the peasants for their own interests. So there was a call for them to unite to get their interests fulfilled.
They all want their interest in the field of agriculture to be duly protected. Their chief objectives include
getting higher prices for agriculture products, subsidy for fertilizers availability of loans and manures, etc.
Farmers organizations like Bhartiya Kisan Union in Haryana, U.P. and Punjab, Karnataka, etc., influence
the decisions of the government in the agricultural field. They also contribute to the sharpening of national
awareness and class- consciousness. They do not have the money power of the capital but have the will
and solidarity to work for the upliftment of the downtrodden. In the educational field also the students,
the teachers, non-vocational staff (school, college, university) have their unions to mobilize the public
opinion and also to influence the government for their protection of their interests like, P.F., gratuity, bonus,
LTC facility, leaves, opening of more professional institutions, adequate transporation facilities, fee structure
etc. For e.g. National Students Union of India, Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, All India Teachers Association,
All India Students Association, Delhi University Students Union etc.
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2. Socio Cultural Pressure Groups: There are various kinds of socio cultural pressure groups which are
concerned with community service and the promotion of the interests of the whole community. Also there
are a few for the promotion of their language and religion. Examples are given below: Arya Pratinidhi
Sabha, Jan Sewa Sangh, Rama Krishna Mission, Arya Samaj, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee,
Parsee Anymans, Young Men Christian Association, Bajrang Dal, Sanskrit Sahitya Academy, Panjabi
Academy, Marathi Sangh, Bhartiya Adim Jati Sangh, Sernarthi of People Society.
3. Institutional Pressure Groups: There are certain pressure groups that are working within the governmental
machinery itself. They influence the government policies in their favour without directly getting involved
in the political system. The pressure groups like Civil Services Association, Police Welfare organization,
Gazetted Officers Union, Defence Personnel Association, Army Officers organizations Red Cross Society
etc., all came under this category. The decision on matters such as transfers-leave rules, adequate D.A. due
to inflation, allocation of duties, etc., are influenced by these pressure groups. Although their activities are
public, they remain very active within the system.
4. Adhoc pressure Groups: Some pressure groups come into existence for a very short period with the
objective of pressuring the government for a specific task. Once the purpose is served, they cease to exist.
In case of any urgency, natural calamity or adversity, these pressure groups pressurize or influence the
government policies in their interest. Example of this type of pressure group are Orissa Relief Organisation,
Bhoodan Anuyojna, Kaveri Water Distribution Association, Gujrat Relief Association, etc.

Role of Pressure Group in Developing Countries

Pressure Groups play a very important role in every political system and in any part or regions of the world.
Be it a developed Society or Developing Society, the role of pressure groups has been immense. However, their
effectiveness and capabilities cannot be the same and so their role differs from society to society and country
to country.
In Developing Countries, pressure groups assume different dimensions and plays different roles.
1. Since, most of the developing countries are having a transitional type of Government after their freedom
from the shackles of the imperial powers or in other words, in a transition towards the democratic form
of Government, pressure groups in different countries plays an important role in achieving a more stable
government and pulling their countries towards a democratic Government. Pressure Groups like Generation
Students in Myanmar are still fighting for the re-establishment of Democracy in a military ruled Myanmar.
They played a prominent role in Pro-Democracy campaign inside the country. In Cambodia, SMD, Student
Movement for democracy played an important role in shaping the course of the political system in the
country. StudentsMovement for Democracy (SMD) is a non-political and most active youth organization
in Cambodia. It was established in 1998 after the unfair, unjust and manipulated election result was
released by the CPP. And many countries are shocked by the often takeover of the governance in the
country by the military personnel. In such times, the pressure groups have played an important role in
bringing back the country to a more democratic way of governance.
2. Many of the pressure groups in developing countries fought against the economic and market policies of
the government. Such pressure groups are usually Trade Unions. One powerful pressure group or to be
more specific, Trade Union is Nigeria Labour Congress. Is an umbrella organisation for trade unions in
Nigeria. It was founded in 1978 following a merger of four different organisations: Nigeria Trade Union
Congress (NTUC), Labour Unity Front (LUF), United Labour Congress (ULC) and Nigeria Workers
Council (NWC). Its founding President was Wahab Goodluck. During the course of its history, it has a
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conflict with the military regime in the country. Recently, the organisation has a conflict with the Nigerian
Government over the higher fuel prices.
3. Some pressure groups played a very important role in the socio-political and cultural reformation or
change in the country. They are fighting against the evils that befall the society. Congress of South African
Trade Unions played a leading role in the struggle against apartheid.
4. Significant gains in public health have been achieved because of efforts by pressure groups, including
important changes and advances in public health issues such as tobacco control, occupational health and
safety, air pollution, and HIV/AIDS. South Africa has one of the largest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the
world, with a 2005 estimate of 5.5 million people living with HIV 12.4% of the population. The trade
union movement has taken a role in combating this pandemic. COSATU is a key partner in the Treatment
Action Campaign (TAC), a registered charity and political force working to educate and promote
understanding about HIV/AIDS, and to prevent new infections, as well as push for greater access to
antiretrovirals. COSATU passed a resolution in 1998 to campaign for treatment. It was clear to the labour
movement at that time that its lowest paid members were dying because they couldnt afford medicines,
says Theodora Steel, Campaigns Coordinator at COSATU. We saw TAC as a natural ally in a campaign
for treatment. We passed a formal resolution at our congress to assist and build TAC.
5. The Condition of women in developing countries are relative weaker as compared to those in the developed
society and hence, pressure groups played a big role in lifting the poor women conditions and strengthening
their status. The Gibraltar Womens Association was founded on the 15 February 1966, by Mrs Mariola
Summerfield and Mrs Angela Smith. It was originally known as the Gibraltar Housewives Association, and
subsequently, in the early eighties it was changed to the Gibraltar Womens Association keeping in with
more modern times that not all women were solely housewives.
6. Many pressure groups in developing countries started to give out their concerns over environmental issues
and gay, lesbian and transgender rights. Most of the developing countries and in transition from traditional
to modern society and such type of pressure groups which took such issues became very important.
Equality Rights Group, In Gilbraltar is one example of such pressure groups.
7. One remarkable features that emerges since the 1990s is the emergence of pressure Groups with an
approach to take up the issues in which the government are weak. There was a tendency among the people
in the devoloping countries to say, Let the Government do it. That attitude has now beginning to change.
Now, they didnt wait for the Government to come up with some welfare measures and policy. They
(pressure groups) push the government and even in some issues, they tried to satisfy themselves by a
means they developed. One example could be taken up from the case of Pakistan. For a country, where
once the attitude prevailed of Let the Government do it it is heartening to see that since the 1990s there
has been proliferation of NGOs devoted to various sectors of social and human betterment, human rights,
democratization, womens empowerment, and low-income housing.

Functions of Pressure Groups in India

Pressure groups have become a very important part of an administrative system. These groups try to pressurize
the administrative and political system of a country either to ensure that their interests are promoted or to see
that at least their interests are not relegated to the background. No system can function effectively without
taking their viewpoint into consideration. In developing countries like India where there is a scarcity of various
resources on the one hand and acute poverty and deprivation on the other, the pressure on administrative
system is bound to be very heavy. The pressure groups arise in different forms in different walks of life. They
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provide a stabilising mechanism and form a crucial component of the structural equilibrium which means that
they perform the system maintenance function. The functions are described as below:
1. Representation
Pressure groups provide a mouthpiece for groups and interests that are not adequately represented through the
electoral process or by political parties. This occurs in parts, because groups are concerned with the specific
rather than the general. Whereas parties attempt to broaden their appeal, trying to catch (potentially) all voters,
pressure groups can articulate the views or interests of particular groups and focus on specific causes. Some
have even argued that pressure groups provide an alternative to the formal representative process through what
has been called functional representation.
However, questions have also been raised about the capacity of groups to carry out representation:
a) Groups have a low level of internal democracy, creating the possibility that they express the views of their
leaders and not their members.
b) The influence of groups on government does not always reflect their membership size or their popular
support, as discussed later.
2. Education
Pressure Groups play a very important role in the Indian political system. They act as a link and source of
communication between the masses and the political parties. They sensitize the public towards various socio
economic issues thereby educating them politically. They produce very effective leadership and also as a
training platform for future political leaders. It also bridges the gap between various traditional values in the
society.
Many pressure groups, indeed, operate largely through their ability to communicate with the public and raise
political consciousness. Groups therefore often devote significant resources to carrying out research, maintaining
websites, commenting on government policy and using high-profile academics, scientists and even celebrities
to get their views across. An emphasis is therefore placed on cultivating expert authority.
However, the effectiveness of groups in stimulating political education has also been questioned.
a) Pressure groups are every bit as biased and subjective as political parties, and there are few checks or
constraints on what a pressure group spokesperson may say.
3. Policy formulation
Although pressure groups, by definition, are not policy-makers, this does not prevent many pressure groups
from participating in the policy-making process. In particular, pressure groups are a vital source of information
and advice to governments. Many groups are therefore regularly consulted in the process of policy formulation,
with government policy increasingly being developed through policy networks. The RTI Act is an example of how
citizens groups can significantly affect government policy.
However, questions have also been raised about the role of groups in formulating policy:
a) Only a small body of privileged groups insider groups are involved in policy formulation.
b) Many have argued that groups should not influence the policy process because they are not elected and
so are not publicly accountable.
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4. 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. The best example of this is the National Farmers Union (NFU), which works
with the Department for Rural Affairs (Defra) in implementing policies related, for example, to farm subsidies,
disease control and animal welfare. Not only do such links further blur the distinction between groups and
government, but they also give the groups in question clear leverage when it comes to influencing the content
of policy.
However, questions have also been raised about the role of groups in implementing policy:
a) Some have criticized such groups for being over-close to government, and therefore for endangering their
independence.
b) Others have argued that policy implementation gives groups unfair political leverage in influencing policy
decisions.
How is public participation through pressure groups possible during the process of lawmaking?
Step 1:The role which can be played by citizen groups before and while the Bill is being drafted.
The case of the Right to Information Act is an example of citizen groups coming forward to participate in
legislative the process of lawmaking.Beginning with a movement started by a group of citizens, the law
eventually became operational in October 2005.
Step 2:When the government asks for public feedback on a Bill
Even before a Bill has been drafted, the relevant ministry might choose to advertise and seek inputs from
experts and citizens.This, though, is a rare occurrence. In some cases, the concerned ministry drafts a new
legislation and seeks public feedback before sending it for Cabinet approval.
Step 3:Engaging with Standing Committees.
After a Bill has been introduced, it is usually referred to the concerned Standing Committee which invites
various stakeholders and experts for their suggestions.
This provides another opportunity for civil society and the public to get involved in legislation. Fifteen witnesses
deposed before the Standing Committee on Rural Development while it was preparing the report on the
National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill.All Standing Committee meetings are closed door sessions which
are not open to the general public or the media.Citizens groups can approach the relevant Committee to ask
to be allowed to depose before it.
The government is not bound to accept the recommendations made by the Standing Committee.In the case
of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the government did not accept any of the Committees
recommendations.
Even after the Standing Committee has finalised its recommendations, there is scope to reach out to Members
of Parliament and political parties.There are a number of instances in which political parties allies in the
ruling coalition or the opposition parties have been able to prevent a Bill from being passed in Parliament
or by forcing the government to make amendments to the Bill before being passed.
Step 4:After the Bill is passed by both the Houses and goes to the President.
In some rare cases, the President may ask Parliament to reconsider a Bill.
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Step 5:After the President of India has assented to a Bill and it is notified as an Act.
After an Act is passed by Parliament, it can still be challenged in the courts on grounds that it violates the
provisions of the Constitution of India.
Step 6:When the rules and regulations to the Act are being drafted.
The government may ask the public for comments and suggestions before framing rules and regulations under
the Act.
During the process of drafting and the Bill being considered in Parliament, a variety of stakeholders may be involved.The
final Act is usually a compromise between competing interests.Despite this, there is every reason for concerned citizens and
groups to make every effort possible to engage with the process and ensure that they are able to make their voices heard.

Pressure Group Methods

The pressure groups adopt various methods to influence the process of the government. These methods are
dependent on the nature of political system and the type of society in the country. They send petitions and
request letters for the fulfillment of their demands. They are always making efforts of keeping public opinion
in their favour. The mass media both electronic and print is very commonly used by the pressure groups for
conveying their feelings and opinions to the government. They try to mould or influence the public opinion by
using various publicity measures. The pressure groups, through lobbying try to exert their pressure on the
government. The pressure groups have opportunities of influencing the judiciary also to some extent. They try
to influence the selection of judges and launch campaigns to influence the judicial decisions. Therefore it can
be established that pressure groups have become an integral part of every democratic political system. They
also maintain the democratic spirit and ethos of a nation. Pressure groups have also been criticized on certain
grounds specially of their tactics and double standards to corrupt the bureaucracy. The powerful groups manage
to get their demands fulfilled while the weak groups are not even heard. Sometimes, the trade unions and the
other associations get even unjust demands fulfilled due to their influence. Actually, the influence of a pressure
group depends on the factors like its own organizational strength, discipline, commitment of its members,
capacity to collect the peoples sympathy and support, and financial position, and above all its access to
decision making bodies.
The pressure groups working for the political cause, persons, etc., adopt some extremist measures like rallies,
dharnas, demonstrations and hunger strike, etc.
The pressure groups working for human causes like peace, environment protection and human rights, etc., adopt
a method of building enlightened public opinion and creating a good sense of compassion and reasoning. They
work through organizing occasional national campaigns and international solidarity activities. Movement against
AIDS, terrorism, nuclear bomb, etc., are the examples of such campaigns.

Pressure Groups and Democracy

Pressure groups have played a significant role in those developing countries which have a more stable government
and political system or which have adopted democracy as its system. The role of pressure groups ina developing
countries with a stable political system are listed out in the following :
They balance the national and particular interests. They constitute links of communication between the
citizens and the state.
They render a necessary service by making much valuable data available to governmental agencies and to
the public in general. They supply necessary information and accurate statistic to policy-makers. With the
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help of the data supplied by the pressure groups, the pressure groups can support the necessary arguments.
Thus, from a mass of conflicting information and views, the truth can always be discerned.
A democracy which permits its citizens to express their varying interest and desires thereby gain a sort
of Build In protection against the emergence of a single, dominant social force. Businessmen, workers,
farmers, social groups, women and religious groups- all seek to advance their own interests, but they are
forced to compete with one another. The inevitable result is that they balance each others demands and
this countervailing tendency protects the society against the threat that an individual group will come to
wield total power.
Pressure groups keep democracy alive during the interval and during the elections, and constitute a barrier
against inter-regnums. They supplement the party system and the formal instrumentsof government by
serving as spokesman of special interests within society.
Pressure Groups have become a legislature behind a legislature. By their zeal and enthusiasm, their expertise
knowledge and specialised skills, they influenced law-making on the floor of the legislatures.
The powers and functions of the government are increasing day by day. The theory of the welfare state
and the method of planned development are the new phenomenon which have led to growth of government
power. Socialism and Positivism have increased them considerably and today we need Groups as a shield
against the sword wielded by the government.

Pressure groups promote democracy in a number of ways, discussed as follows:

1. By supplementing electoral democracy
Pluralists often highlight the advantages of group representation, over representation through elections and
political parties. Pressure groups may either supplement electoral democracy (making up for its defects and
limitations) or they may have replaced political parties as the main way in which people express their views
and interests:
Pressure groups keep government in touch with public opinion between elections. One of the weaknesses of
elections is that they only take place every few years. By contrast, pressure groups force the government
to engage in an ongoing dialogue with the people, in which the interests or views of the various sections
of society cannot be ignored.
Pressure groups give a political voice to minority groups and articulate concerns that are overlooked by political parties.
Elections, at best, determine the general direction of government policy, with parties being anxious to
develop policies that appeal to the mass of voters. Pressure groups are therefore often more effective in
articulating concerns about issues such as the environment, civil liberties, global poverty, abortion, violence
against women and the plight of the elderly.
2. Participation
The level of political participation is an important indicator of the health of democracy. Democracy, at heart,
means government by the people. If this is the case, declining electoral turnout and steadily falling party
membership highlights a major democratic deficit in politics. This, however, is very effectively combated by
the growth in the number and size of pressure groups. As discussed earlier, pressure groups have become
increasingly effective agents of political participation. Not only has single-issue politics proved to be popular
but the grass roots activism and decentralized organization of many campaigning groups have proved to be
attractive to many young people and those who may be disillusioned with conventional politics.
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3. Education
Pressure groups promote political debate, discussion and argument. In so doing, they create a better-informed
and more educated electorate. This, in turn, helps to improve the quality of public policy. Without pressure
groups, the public and the media would have to rely on a relatively narrow range of political views, those
expressed by the government of the day and a small number of major parties. Pressure groups challenge
established views and conventional wisdom. They offer alternative viewpoints and widen the information
available to the public, especially through their access to the mass media and the use of new communication
technologies such as the Internet. Pressure groups are therefore prepared to speak truth to power. In many
cases, pressure groups raise the quality of political debate by introducing specialist knowledge and greater
expertise.

4. Benefits of competition
Pressure groups help to promote democracy by widening the distribution of political power. They do this, in
part, because groups compete against one another. This ensures that no group or interest can remain dominant
permanently. As pluralists would argue, there is no such thing as a power elite. Instead, as one group becomes
influential, other groups come into existence to combat them and offer rival viewpoints. This is what pluralists
call the theory of countervailing power.
Trade unions developed in response to the growth of business power. Pro-abortion groups developed against
anti-abortion groups and so on. In this way, public policy is developed through an ongoing debate between rival
groups that ensures that political influence is widely and evenly dispersed. Group politics is therefore characterized
by a rough balance of power. This is the essence of pluralist democracy.

Pressure groups threaten democracy in a number of ways, discussed as follows:

1. Increases Political inequality
A central argument against the pluralist image of group politics is that, far from dispersing power more widely
and empowering ordinary citizens, pressure groups tend to empower the already powerful. They therefore
increase, rather than reduce, political inequality. Pluralists argue that political inequality is broadly democratic,
in that the most successful groups tend to be ones with large membership, and which enjoy wide and possibly
intense public support. This is very difficult to sustain. In practice, the most powerful pressure groups tend to
be the ones that possess money, expertise, institutional leverage and privileged links to government. For
instance, the influence of major corporations cannot, in most cases, be compared with the influence exerted
by, say, a trade union, a charity or an environmental group. Pressure groups therefore strengthen the voice of
the wealthy and privileged, giving those who have access to financial, educational, organizational and other
resources and special influence over the government.
By the same token, there are significant, and sometimes large, sections of society that are effectively excluded
from the pressure-group universe. This is usually because they are difficult or impossible to organize and so
must, at best, rely on others to protect them. Examples of such groups include children, asylum seekers, the
homeless, the elderly and the mentally ill.

2. Non-legitimate power
Critics have questioned whether pressure groups exercise rightful or legitimate power in any circumstances. This
is because, unlike conventional politicians, pressure-group leaders have not been elected. Pressure groups are
therefore not publicly accountable, meaning that the influence they exert is not democratically legitimate. This
problem is compounded by the fact that very few pressure groups operate on the basis of internal democracy.
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Leaders are very rarely elected by their members, and when they are (as in the case of trade unions) this is
often on the basis of very low turnouts. Indeed, there has been a growing trend for pressure groups to be
dominated by a small number of senior professionals. Some pressure-group leaders may, in fact, be little more
than self-appointed political spokespeople.
3. Behind the scenes influence
Regardless of which groups are most powerful, pressure-group influence is exerted in a way that is not subject
to scrutiny and public accountability. Pressure groups usually exert influence behind closed doors. This particularly
applies in the case of insider groups, whose representatives stalk the corridors of power unseen by the public
and away from media scrutiny. No one knows (apart from occasional leaks) who said what to whom, or who
influenced whom, and how. This is unaccountable power. Not only does this contrast sharply with the workings
of representative bodies such as Parliament, but it also diminishes Parliament and undermines parliamentary
democracy. Insider links between groups and the executive bypass Parliament, rendering elected MPs impotent
as policy is increasingly made through deals between government and influential groups, and the House of
Commons does not get to discuss.

4. Tyranny of the minority

Pressure groups, by their very nature, represent minorities rather than majorities. For pluralists, of course, this
is one of their strengths. Pressure groups help to prevent a tyranny of the majority that is, perhaps, one of
the inevitable features of electoral democracy. However, pressure groups may create the opposite problem.
Minority views or special interests may prevail at the expense of the interests of the majority or the larger
public. Therefore, as pressure groups become more powerful, elected governments may find it more difficult
to serve the public interest and to do what is best for society as a whole. This problem of the tyranny of the
minority is most extreme when pressure groups use direct action to achieve their objectives. Through the use
of strikes, blockades and even intimidation and violence pressure groups, in effect, hold the country to
ransom. Once pressure groups start to operate outside the established legal and constitutional framework they
are also operating outside and arguably against the democratic process.

Criticism of Pressure Groups

Pressure group in India are basically criticized on the following grounds-
1. Focus on parochial interest- Pressure group getting influence by their sectional and local interest more as
compared to their common interest.
2. Lack of effective membership- Pressure groups do not have well developed infrastructure which can help
them in regular way pursuing their interest.
3. Dominance of single party system- In India for long time there have been single party dominance and this
powerful political party do not want to be ruled by any pressure groups.
4. Lack of autonomous existence- Most of the pressure groups except business groups does not have an
independent autonomous existence of their own. Most of them dominated by political parties, which tries
to divide each pressure group and have strong hold over one group at least.
5. Varying life span- In India we have loose and disorganized multiparty system, hence, even pressure group
appears big and small with varying life span that appears and disappears.
6. Unstable- Pressure group lacks stability and commitment which results in shift in their loyalties according
to changing political situation.
Notes

Pressure Group 11
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7. Ineffective for interest articulation- Pressure group like trade union in India lacked trained and competent
functionaries. They have been not an effective agents of interest articulation in India.
8. Use of unconstitutional method- Pressure groups in India tries to influence the government mainly
through various unconstitutional method as strikes, agitation, demonstration, lockouts etc.
9. Sometimes led to mass violence- Pressure group involves with protest and certain radicalization of political
life results into mass violence. For example, Naxalite movement starting after fourth general election of
1967 in West Bengal.
10. Threat to democratic setup- The tendency of pressure group to resort to coercion to secure the solution
of a socio-political problem in streets could be regarded as a serious threat to democratic set up.

Conclusion
But despite of all these major criticism the existence of pressure group are now indispensable and helpful
element of democratic setup. Pressure group promotes national and particular interests constitute a link of
communication between citizen and the government. They provide necessary information and keep the nation
politically alive.
Notes

12 Pressure Group