Insider Pressure Groups
These groups of individuals exert power over the government because they have direct access points. These individuals are politically savvy, and when combined, they carry significant weight. These politically sophisticated groups are often made up of highly skilled members. By extension, they usually have substantial resources that they can use to generate valuable information. Offering this information to the lawmakers acts as leverage for the group in influencing decisions. The government often considers its input valuable because of the power these voices carry within society. The members, therefore, have significant lobbying power over the government. Without the backing of these groups, the government will fear protests, strikes and stay-aways.
Outside Pressure Groups
Two separate groups often enact outsider pressure.
Potential Insider Groups
Some pressure groups are politically connected by nature; however, they are not involved with the government. These organizations often collect data and perform research that can potentially be useful to the government. E.g., Climate Change Organizations. These groups can be experts who need government help to effect necessary change; however, they are NGOs. This feature means they are not aligned politically; however, they work together with Governments.
Deliberate Outsider Groups
The second group of outsider pressure groups is formed by individuals performing illegal behaviours to draw attention to a cause radically. These groups wish to present themselves as heavily opposed to the government to bring light to their misdoings. These types of pressure groups often engage in acts of civil unrest to get a ‘shock’ or emotion out of the government and the general population. These groups can sometimes act in response to a single event of injustice rather than general trends, statistics and evidence.
Classification by Aim of Pressure Group
We can look at pressure groups based on what they aim to achieve. The focus is on who or what causes they represent.
Sectional Pressure Groups
These pressure groups are often called “protectionist” or “private interest groups”. These groups are formed by individuals who wish to protect their interests within the community. To enter these groups usually is difficult given their elite level of exclusivity. To gain membership, you will need to be a part of their section of society. This feature is logical because they only represent that section’s interests. For example, to join a trade union of medical professionals, you must be a medical practitioner or medical student.
Cause Pressure Groups
These pressure groups are often formed to pursue a moral objective. They promote issues for the benefit of parts of society or society at large. These pressure groups are often called “promotional groups” or “public interest groups”. They aim to bring light to a specific cause or objective. These groups often present alternative approaches, issues or ideas that do not directly benefit the group’s members. These groups are often not politically connected and are invariably and explicitly non-partisan. They seek to represent a segment of society that wishes for a change/improvement on a particular cause or value. By nature, these groups are more inclusive because they speak for the masses. As less politically connected, they need to establish broad popular support to help influence the government. To achieve this, the groups do not implement many restrictions on membership. Numerous groups fit into this bracket. The category is wide-ranging and often subdivided into different types.
Sectional Pressure Cause Groups
This division of social groups together protects a specific section of society. The key here is that the group is protecting individuals distinct and separate from its membership.
Attitude Pressure Cause Groups
These groups band together to change society’s perception of an issue. Changing people’s attitudes on a particular case is often necessary to prevent the exclusion of others from the liberties enjoyed by the community.
Political Pressure Cause Groups
Individuals form pressure groups to achieve specific political objectives directly. These groups are explicitly political and seek to help influence the nation’s governance.
A broad international presence seen in numerous countries can change global policy. It is rare to find an insider pressure group that operates for individuals outside a single country. These groups often cannot stretch their influence to other nations; however, outside pressure groups can have a far-reaching impact, given their need for mass mobilization.
Pressure Group Status
Classifying an advocacy group can also be performed based on its core aims. Insider–outsider typology argues that the closer a pressure group is to the government is closely correlated with the extent it can develop secure and positive relationships. These relationships help to influence politicians and officials.
Types of Insider Pressure Groups
Core insiders
The primary insider groups have significant two-way relationships with lawmakers and can directly engage them over various issues.
Specialist insiders
These pressure groups are authorized to interact with the government due to their substantial knowledge and expertise. These often have to interact publicly based on a narrower area of knowledge.
Peripheral insiders
They are individuals with knowledge of government officials and their inner workings; however, they are rarely consulted. They can provide knowledge to members of their pressure group on issues; however, they do not hold much direct influence over the government individually.
Types of Outsider Pressure Groups
Potential insiders
Political activism groups exist in Universities; however, when they graduate, they often proceed to join insider groups. These groups can potentially become insiders because of their political connections, although they have not been fully recognized yet. Individuals like students of a University are not fully qualified; however, they can pressure the government. These groups may achieve insider status in the future.
Outsiders by necessity
These individuals declare themselves alternatives to the government because they will not have any genuine consultation with the government. This factor can be because they do not agree with the government’s cause or actions taken.
Ideological outsiders
These pressure groups hold an alternative ideology to the government. They function while avoiding forging close relationships with governments. This action assists them in presenting themselves as a neutral and objective organization. They often do not seek political power in the current government as they see it as part of the problem.
