"God is on the side of the large battalions."
Are larger, wealthier pressure groups invariably more successful?
Pressure groups play a vital and powerful role in today's Britain. In order for government to make decisions which will endure and be accepted by the general public, it must test the water, and this is done by consultation through these pressure groups (Jordan 1987:1). It is much easier for government to negotiate or accept demands of these groups rather than oppose them. While there is no actual place in the constitution for their activities, many studies of policy-making define them as one of the key pillars in determining policy outcomes. In essence, they are defined as organisations which seek to "represent the interests of particular sections of society in order to influence public policy" (Smith 1993:2).
These organisations are literally groups of people who have come together to make their voices and views heard.
The power of the individual is reduced as a result of pressure groups, as governments are more likely to listen to a large number of voters with stated and uniformed demands than a single individual. Thus it would be obvious to assume that the larger pressure groups wield more power, as well as those with more wealth and the ability to use it to influence or increase media exposure and further their cause.
A fine example of this would be the Trade Union Congress (TUC) from 1974 to 1979. A massive coalition of labour unions across Britain, the then Labour government was forced to recognise its might, and as a result much legislation was passed through in favour of its objectives. There was even talk of 'bear and sandwiches' at Number 10 downing street, proving the lengths to which government was ready to go in order to recognise...