POLI 112
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS
Session 10: Pressure Groups
Lecturer: Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO, Department of Political Science
College of Education
School of Continuing and Distance Education
2014/2015 – 2016/2017
Pressure Groups Defined
A pressure group is an organized group of individuals who at any
point in time may seek to influence the policies of government in
their own chosen direction but unlike Political Parties, they are
never themselves prepares to directly run the affairs of the
government of their country.
Examples of pressure groups in Ghana include the Ghana Bar
Association, Ghana Medical Association, University Teachers
Association, National Union of Ghana Students, etc.
These are also called Interest Groups because they exist and
operate to promote the interest of their members
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO, Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 2
It is for example practiced in Britain while the
Theories of Origin of Pressure Groups
• The Group Theory – This basically states that in general, all politics is a
group conflict and political decisions are arrived at as a result of the
conflict between organized pressure groups. Group theory like other
Political Science theories raises very complex issues and is presented in a
way which is extremely difficult to grasp. But basically, they try to answer
the question as to how pressure groups originated.
• Social Forces or Social Equilibrium Theory. This is one of the earliest
versions of the Group Theory, propounded by David Truman. The theory
states that social change of the kind that happens when a society moves
from an agricultural to the industrial level of development disturbs in a
profound way the normal equilibrium or balance of society.
• People therefore organize themselves into a form of association to defend
and protect their values and goals in order to restore a certain degree of
social balance
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
.
Slide 3
Theories of Origin of Pressure Groups
(Cont)
• Incentive Theory – Mancur Olson reasoned that
social change by itself would not lead people to form
pressure groups. People form pressure groups only if
there is some incentive to motivate the people to
join. The incentive to join a group exists when two
conditions are fulfilled. First, Economic benefits to be
gained by members. Second, members join because
of social pressure
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 4
Functions of Pressure Groups
• Putting together the various interest of its members
– Interest aggregation
• Making know the interest and challenges confronting
its members with the view to seeking redress and
attention of policy makers – Interest articulation
• Offering expertise view and knowledge on what can
be done to tackle national crisis when needed
• Keeping governments on their toes and making them
accountable and responsive to the needs of the
citizenry
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 5
The Problems Pressure Groups Create
• Through needless strikes and demonstrations, they
can paralyze the economy of the country and reduce
productivity
• Their actions can also make the country
ungovernable
• They are sometimes selfish as they work to promote
the interest of only those who belong to them
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 6
The Problems Pressure Groups Create
(cont)
• Moreover, pressure groups exercise non-legitimate
powers in that their leaders unlike politicians are not
publicly accountable. They seek to influence leaders
who have been elected but they themselves may be
representing a small minute section of the entire
populace
• Their activities also promote elitism as its members
are drawn from a certain class of society
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 7
Some Images of Activities of Pressure
Groups
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 8
Image of Pressure Group Activism
• .
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 9
Image of Pressure Group Activism on
Radio
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 10
Tools Used to Champion The Interest
of Pressure Groups
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Strikes,
Demonstrations,
petitions,
protests,
boycotts,
lobbying
Threats
Assassinations
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 11
Reading List
• Refer to Unit 5, pp. 87 to 100 of Poli 112 (Political
Institutions) Modules
• Gyampo, R.E.V. The state of Political Institutions in
Ghana, (Saarbrucken, Germany: Lambert Academic
Publishing Inc. 2012) pp. 147-158
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 12
Concluding Remark
THANK YOU
R.E.V GYAMPO
Dr. R.E.V. GYAMPO Dept of Political Science, UG
Slide 13