Pressure groups

Pressure groups

 

Introduction

These  groups are an essential part of a democratic polity. These groups are the organizations that attempt to influence government policies and decisions. They are formed when people with common interests, opinions and aspirations come together in order to achieve a common objective. Also a pressure group is a group of people who are organized actively for promoting and defending their common interest. It is called so, as it attempts to bring a change in public policy by exerting pressure on the government.

 

What are Pressure Groups?

  • It is the stage where people can be directly involved in their interests.
  • A group of people who are organized for the purpose of promotion and defense of their common interest is called the Pressure Group.
  • The Main Objective Pressure group is to attempt to change public policy by generating pressure on the government. It is a bridge between the government and its members.
  • Pressure groups are also called interest groups/vested groups.
  • Pressure groups are not political parties, because they neither contest elections in order to get into power.
  • Pressure groups are concerned with specific goals and objectives, in which they have common interests.
  • And usually employed methods like legal and legitimate means – lobbying, correspondence, publicity, propagandizing, petitioning, public debating, maintaining contacts to influence policymakers.

Pressure Groups in India

In India Political parties and pressure groups together play a big role in the struggle of power. In India, the pressure group arose even during the colonial period.

 

 

  • Business Groups – Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Maratha Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) (ASSOCHAM), Federation of All India Food grain Dealers Association, etc.
  • The Trade Unions – All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
  • Professional Groups – Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bar Council of India (BCI), IPS Association
  • Agrarian Groups- All India Kisan Sabha, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Shetkari Sanghatana, etc
  • Student’s Organisations- Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), All India Students Federation (AISF), National Students Union of India (NSUI)
  • Religious Groups – Rashtriya SwayamSevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Jamaat-e-Islami, etc.
  • Caste Groups – Dalit Panther, Harijan Sevak Sangh, Nadar Caste Association, etc
  • Linguistic Groups – Tamil Sangh, Andhra Maha Sabha, Sambhaji Brigade, etc
  • Tribal Groups – National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Tribal National Volunteers (TNU) in Tripura, United Mizo federal org, Tribal League of Assam, etc.
  • Ideology based Groups – Narmada Bachao Andolan, Chipko Movement, Women’s Rights Organisation, India Against Corruption etc.
  • Anomic Groups – Naxalite Groups, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Dal Khalsa, etc.

 

Pressure Groups in India- Roles

  • Interest articulation: Pressure Groups convey the pursuits of the human beings to the eye of the policy-makers. The method with the aid of using which the needs of the human beings get materialized and get fashioned is known as interest articulation.
  • Political Socialization: Pressure groups assist to carry out political socialization, as they direct the eye of the humans in the direction of political activity. These organizations play an essential element withinside the two-manner conversation bridge among the humans and the government.
  • Role in Administration: Apart from policymaking, the strain corporations additionally strive to persuade the coverage implementation. For that, they shaped the lobbies withinside the paperwork as well. The examples like making economic favor, ideological appealing, or helping in profession possibilities are a few strategies utilized by them.
  • Influences Judiciary: They additionally try to make use of the judicial approaches for shielding their interests. Stress businesses frequently method the courtroom docket for redressal in their issues towards the kingdom and different businesses.
  • Role in public opinion: The pressure groups are frequently engaged in shaping all of the applicable laws, rules, decisions, and guidelines which might also additionally have a relation to the  interest of these corporations. They facilitate a debate that confirms all of the fine and bad elements of the problem and its outcomes on their hobbies.
  • Improves governance quality: Their efforts cause powerful participation of all sections of society in choice making. The early participation of all stakeholders assists governments in the higher implementation of policy.
  • Improves accountability in rulers: The pressure groups assist competition events to construct positive grievances of presidency actions. It creates stress for the authorities to stay responsible for its actions.
  • Educating people on important issues: Being a casual supply of records and data, they supply crucial sources to human beings to recognize approximately the government. For example; The Pratham reviews on schooling fame assist human beings to come to be aware about the state of affairs of schooling in India.

 

Pressure Groups in India- Functions

  • These groups function for the Government as a responsible source of criticism, for the political system as a conduit of communication between citizens and the Government, and for group members as a democratic means of expressing their opinions.
  • These groups are a vital link between the government and the governed. They keep governments more responsive to the wishes of the community, especially in between elections. 2. Pressure groups are able to express the views of minority groups in the community who might not otherwise receive a hearing.
  • These groups help in improving the quality of government. Consultation with affected groups is the rational way to make decisions in a free society. It makes government more efficient by enhancing the quality of the decision making process – the information and advice provided by these groups helps to improve the quality of government policy and legislation.
  • Freely operating pressure groups are essential to the effective functioning of liberal democracy.
  • They serve as a vital intermediary institutions between government and society
  • They assist in the dispersal of political power
  • They provide important counterweights to balance the concentration of power.
  • Pressure groups enable new concerns and issues to reach the political agenda, thereby facilitating social progress and preventing social stagnation. For example, the women’s and environmentalist movements.
  • Pressure groups increase social cohesion and political stability by providing a ‘safety-valve’ outlet for individual and collective grievances and demands.
  • Pressure groups complement the work of opposition political parties by exposing the bad policies and wrongdoings of the government. Pressure groups thereby improve the accountability of decision makers to electorates.
  • Pressure groups help to educate people, compile data and provide specific information to policy makers, thus they work as an informal source of information. Active constructive participation of numerous groups in polity helps to reconcile general interest with individual group interests.

 

Pressure Groups in India- Classification

Institutional Interest Groups:

These groups are officially organized which include professionally hired persons. They are part of the authorities' equipment and try to exert their influence.These corporations encompass political parties, legislatures, armies, bureaucracies, etc. Whenever such an affiliation increases protest it does so with the aid of using constitutional approach and according to the guidelines and regulations.

Example: IAS Association, IPS Association, State civil services association, Bar councils.

 

Associational Interest Groups :

These are organized specialized groups formed for Interest articulation, however to pursue confined goals. These encompass exchange unions, firms of businessmen and industrialists and civic corporations.

Examples: trade unions, business organizations etc.

Other examples of Associational Interest Groups in India are Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Chamber of Commerce, Trade Unions such as AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress), Teachers Associations, Students Associations such as National Students Union of India (NSUI) etc.

 

Anomic Interest Groups:

The anomic pressure organization method is a set that makes surprising breakthroughs into the politics from precise times like riots, demonstrations, assassinations, and the like.

Example: The movement India Against Corruption later transformed into lobbying in the Delhi Power structure.

 

Non-Associational Interest Groups:

These groups are primarily based totally on kinship and lineage, ethnic, regional, fame and class. They try to defend hobbies on the premise of individuals, families, and spiritual heads. Such companies basically have casual organizations.

Examples:  caste groups, language groups, etc.

 

What are the various methods employed by Pressure Groups?

To achieve their objectives and goals, pressure groups employ various techniques and methods, which include peaceful persuasion as well as pressure techniques. Some of the techniques are:

 

 

  • Lobbying: It involves representatives of pressure groups trying to persuade public officers to adopt and enforce the policies that they think will prove most beneficial to their interests.
  • Electioneering: It aims at placing in public office persons favorably disposed towards the interests of the pressure group.
  • Propagandizing: In this technique, public opinion is influenced and thereby gains an indirect influence over the government.
  • Demonstrations: Pressure groups also use demonstrations that may be peaceful or violent. For example, the Self-Employed Women's Association has influenced the government to improve its policies on the rights of women workers.
  • Letters and petitions: Pressure groups write letters of information or complaints to officials of the legislative or executive arm of the government to try to convince them of their viewpoint.
  • Publicity campaigns: Pressure groups organize intensive campaigns through meetings, rallies, house-to-house campaigns, posters, handbills, stickers, and conferences to attract public support and achieve their aims.

 

Characteristics of Pressure Groups

  • Work for unique interest: The stress organization shaped to meet sure pastimes and for that reason address the electricity shape withinside the political systems.
  • Uses Modern and Traditional Means: They often finance political parties, sponsor candidates during elections and maintain relations with bureaucracy. They also use traditional social realities as a means to gain influence, like playing caste cards, engaging in creed and religious politics to promote their interests.
  • Fighting for restricted Resources: One of the important motives to shape a stress organization is the shortage of sources. In social life, there are constant claims and counterclaims at the sources from numerous sections of society.
  • Inadequacies of Political Parties: In democratic politics, the political events are anticipated to steer the hobbies of all sections of society. As democracy is in the end a numbers game, many sections which have small populations discover it hard to have a political birthday celebration for his or her very own cause. This vacuum is commonly stuffed via means of the formation of a strain group.
  • Reflects dynamic social alternate: Any alternate in social, economic, and political ends disrupts the present order. In reaction to such adjustments many strain companies emerged. For example; the upward push of inexperienced political events as a reaction to environmental causes.
  • Having Limited Political Parties to Raise Their Cause: In democratic politics, the political parties are expected to lead the interests of all sections of society. As democracy is ultimately a numbers game, many sections that have small populations find it difficult to have a political party for their own cause. This vacuum is usually filled by the formation of a pressure group.

 

What are the limitations of Pressure Groups?

  • These groups tend to empower the already powerful. Therefore, they increase political inequality. In practice, the most powerful pressure groups tend to be the ones that possess money, expertise, institutional leverage, and privileged links to the government.
  •  Unlike conventional politicians, pressure-group leaders are not elected. Pressure groups are, therefore, not publicly accountable. This problem is compounded by the fact that very few pressure groups operate based on internal democracy.
  •  These groups can allow too much influence over the government from unelected extremist minority groups, which in turn could lead to extremism.
  • These groups in India are organized around religious, regional, and ethnic issues leading to pursuing vested interests.

 

Concerns related to Pressure groups in India:

  •   Unlike the pressure groups in the developed countries of the West, where these are invariably organized to safeguard economic, social, cultural interests, etc. in India these groups are organized around religious, regional and ethnic issues.
  •  Instead of the pressure groups exerting influence on the political process, they become tools and implements to subserve political interests.
  • Most pressure groups do not have autonomous existence; they are unstable and lack commitment, their loyalties shift with political situations which threaten general welfare. Ex: Naxalite movement started in 1967 in West Bengal.
  • These groups can allow too much influence over the government from unelected extremist minority groups, which in turn could lead to unpopular consequences.
  •  Instead of the pressure groups exerting influence on the political process, they become tools and implements to serve political interests.
  • 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.
  • The leadership of these groups tends to lack democratic organization. Therefore, they may not actually present a true picture of public opinion, but instead may demonstrate the desires of the leader who articulates the group's policy interests to the government.

 

Committee recommendations to strengthen Pressure Groups

  • Committee on Electoral Reforms: Proposals for enhancing transparency and accountability in political funding, which indirectly impacts the influence of pressure groups. This may include suggestions for reforms in campaign financing and political donations.
  • Committee on NGO Regulations: Guidelines or regulations regarding the functioning of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including pressure groups. Recommendations might cover issues such as transparency, accountability, and reporting standards.
  • Committee on Legal Reforms: Proposals related to laws governing the activities of pressure groups. This may include recommendations for defining the legal boundaries of lobbying, advocacy, and public engagement.
  • Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment: Recommendations aimed at addressing the concerns of various pressure groups advocating for social justice. This could include policy changes, affirmative action, or programs targeting marginalized communities.
  • Committee on Public Administration: Proposals related to improving the efficiency and responsiveness of government agencies, which might indirectly affect the interactions between pressure groups and government bodies.
  • Committee on Human Rights: Guidelines or recommendations on ensuring that the activities of pressure groups align with human rights principles. This could involve ensuring that pressure groups operate within a framework that respects individual rights and freedoms.

 

Conclusion

  • These groups are now considered as an indispensable and helpful element of the democratic process. Society has become highly complex and individuals cannot pursue their interests on their own. They need the support of other fellow beings in order to gain greater bargaining power; this gives rise to pressure groups based on common interests.
  • Democratic politics has to be politics through consultation, through negotiation and some amount of bargaining is also involved. Thus, it is very essential for the government to consult these organized groups at the time of policy formulation and implementation.

 

 

 “Pressure groups play a vital role in influencing public policy making in India.” Explain how the business associations contribute to public policies. (2021)

 

 

 

Q) What are the methods used by the Farmers' organizations to influence the policy-makers in India and how effective are these methods? (2019)

 

 

 

Q) How do pressure groups influence the Indian political process? Do you agree with this view that informal pressure groups have emerged as powerful than formal pressure groups in recent years? (2017)