Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in a variety of ways.
→ They try to gain public support and sympathy for their cause by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions, etc.
→ By organising strikes and disruptions, they seek to make the government take note of their demands.
→ They also influence decision-making by lobbying.
→ The issues raised by them often influence the policies of political parties.

The relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms.
→ Pressure groups are often formed and led by politicians and political parties. Most trade unions and students' organisations in India are either established by, or affiliated to one or the other major political party.
→ Political parties sometimes grow out of movements. Parties like DMK and AIADMK were formed this way.
→ Many a times, the issues raised by pressure or movement groups are taken up by political parties, leading to a change in the policies of the parties.

Pressure groups help in the deepening of democracy. As long as everyone gets the
opportunity, putting pressure on the rulers is not an unhealthy activity in a democracy. Governments can often come under undue pressure from a small group of rich and powerful people. Pressure groups perform a useful role of countering this undue influence of reminding the government of the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens.

A pressure group is an organisation which attempts to influence government policies through protests and demonstrations. Pressure groups are formed when people with similar opinions get together for similar objectives. Examples of pressure groups are FEDECOR and BAMCEF.

A pressure group is an organised or an unorganised body that tries to promote its interests. They fight and try to achieve a common objective. Political parties contest elections because their aim is to achieve political power. They have more than one interests, they have their own ideology. They represent various interests and have their own way of achieving their aims.

sectional interest

Which among the following is the special feature that distinguishes a pressure group from a political party?
(a) Parties take political stances, while pressure groups do not bother about political issues.
(b) Pressure groups are confined to a few people, while parties involve larger number of people.
(c) Pressure groups do not seek to get into power, while political parties do.
(d) Pressure groups do not seek to mobilise people, while parties do.

Answer

(c) Pressure groups do not seek to get into power, while political parties do.

	List I	List II
1	Organisations that seek to promote the interests of a particular section or group	Α. Movement
2	Organisations that seek to promote common interest	Β. Political parties
3	Struggles launched for the resolution of a social problem with or without an organisational structure	C. Sectional interest groups
4	Organisations that mobilise people with a view to win political power	D. Public interest groups

 

	1	2	3	4
(a)	C	D	B	A
(b)	C	D	A	B
(c)	D	C	B	A
(d)	B	C	D	A

 

Answer

	1	2	3	4
(b)	C	D	A	B