Politics Essay: Pressure Groups

Why may some pressure groups choose to remain outside groups?

Although there are many benefits to being an insider group there are also many downsides. Firstly, insider groups must have objectives that are compatible with government which means that they wouldn’t be able to address all the issues they want. Outsider groups wouldn’t like this because it would mean sacrificing some of their aims.

Secondly, they must demonstrate capacity to ensure that their members abide by agreed decisions. This significantly restricts the groups freedom of manoeuvre. Outsider groups would also hate this because they would feel ‘domesticated’ or ‘controlled’ by the government.

Also, some groups recognize that outsider strategies, such as petitions, demonstrations and marches are the most likely way of engaging potential supporters and turning them into activists.

Also many outsider groups have been attracted by ‘new politics’ which lean towards more innovative and theatrical forms of protest politics rather than ‘established’ parties, pressure groups and representative processes.