A pressure group, also known as an advocacy group, interest group, special interest group, lobbying group, or public association, is an organization that seeks to influence public opinion and ultimately public policy. Pressure groups are comprised of members of the general public who share a particular interest in an issue and aren’t necessarily associated with a political party. They can be pluralist, meaning that they represent a section of society, or they can be single-issue, advocating for a particular cause or interest. Pressure groups can play an important role in the political process as they act as a liaison between stakeholders and elected officials.
Types of pressure groups include trade unions, ethnic associations, churches, PACs, Super PACS, environmental groups, grassroots organizations, human rights groups, business groups, and more. Pressure groups work to influence policy decisions by directly or indirectly engaging with lawmakers. Direct action with lawmakers is often through lobbying or campaigns that encourage group members to contact their legislators. Indirect ways to influence policy include things like mobilizing advocates writing op-eds in newspapers or campaigning in person or on social media.
Pressure groups date back all the way to Medieval Europe, when merchants and craftsmen came together and created trade guilds based on their line of work to advocate and support members. The first mass social movement catalyzed around the controversial political figure, John Wilkes. Often, political parties are actually formed as a result of group pressure, for example, the Labour Party in the UK was formed out of the new trade union movement which lobbied for the rights of workers.
Pressure groups can be criticized for pressing interests not in keeping with general welfare, for using unacceptable pressure techniques, for lacking internal and external controls, and for being a corruptive influence on Government. However, they also function for 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.
