They communicate opinion to
politicians and policy makers
Representative democracy
cannot itself ensure the state
act in the interest of society
Interest and pressure groups,
alongside public opinion and the media,
help to check and balance government
Groups allow some citizens
to speak to policy makers
PG leader have polentially more direct
access to policy-makers to influence
and commincate public views
Pressure groups
weaken democracy
Promontinal groups "for
citizens, but are not of citizens"
Groups minght encourage "ego-topic"
(this suits me) not build support for
"socio-tropic" (this benefits society)
Public do not elect PG leaders were as
politicians are elected therefore there is a danger
they do not want to represent the whole of society
Lack of choice in Pressure groups concerning specific
"issue" therefore less democratic because political
party offer choice on a large range of issue (national)
Monitoring of government by groups
can have an impact on the ways in
which politics is constructed
Such groups are often self-selecting
and in britain often lead toward the
liberal end of the spectrum