Pressure groups
A pressure group is any group of people who endeavour to persuade the government or government decision making, without becoming the decision makers or apart of the decision making process. Pressure groups do not seek to form government nor do they develop comprehensive policy platforms.There are two different types of pressure groups; they are either sectional or altruistic pressure groups. Sectional pressure groups operate on the specific interests of their members. They are identifiable sub groups of society that centre on achieving "selective benefits" for their members. An example of a sectional group is the Australian Hotels association. An altruistic or "promotional" pressure group exists and functions in the interest of and focuses on community values. They work for the public good as they believe it will benefit the broader community. An example of an altruistic pressure group is the Australian Wilderness Society. The Australian Hotel Association is a sectional pressure group which was formed to protect and develop the interests of Australia's hotel industry. They function to promote the interests of its members such as taxation, excise duty, industrial relations and tourism. The membership of the
A useful technique for pressure groups is the use of lobbying. Therefore, demonstrations can have great influence on bringing about change, but only if the demonstration is highly organised and have influential numbers as in the demonstration to stop the damming of the Franklin river. The demonstration of the Wilderness Society was so successful due to the numbers of people, approximately 15000, and the coverage it received from the media. The influence on the public can also become negative if the demonstration turns violent or if too much police attention is brought in. This strategy is very effective for the AHA. Electoral pressure is a good strategy for pressure groups to use as the candidates can endorse the opinions. Membership of this altruistic pressure group is "open" which means any person who believes in the values and goals can join up. There success is also accounted for because of the exclusive membership, and the number of members. This is generally because they have better financial resources and have direct links to the government decision making. The blockade continued from 1982 until March 1983, during which time 1,400 people were arrested and many jailed. Altruistic groups are occasionally successful, with the direct action strategies needing many numbers to be effective. The pressure group set up a blockade along the Franklin River. This strategy was effective for the Wilderness Society as they made the public fully aware of the situation, and the surrounding events. In 1982 the Wilderness Society used this method and were able to organise one of the most prominent demonstrations in Australian history. At times campaigns launched against a candidate or party can have benefits.
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Acceptance Essays
