Pressure Group

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B. Yadagi r i IRS: Pr essur e Gr oups & thei r r ol e i n Dem ocr acy 1

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B. Yadagiri IRS Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Blog Archive

Pressure Groups & their role in Democracy

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Pressure Groups & their role in Democracy Definition Objectives of pressure groups Types of pressure groups Features of Indian pressure groups Role of pressure groups Criticism against the pressure groups Differences between Pressure group and a Political party Differences of Indian pressure groups with that of west Conclusion 1. Definition: Pressure groups are the interest groups which work to secure certain interest by influencing the public policy. They exert pressure on the persons or bo dy in power and influence Government decisions in their favor. They are non-aligned with any political party and work as indirect yet powerful group to influence the decision. 2. Objectives of pressure groups: The objectives of the pressure groups are very limited. That is, every pressure group has one

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► December (6) ► November (4) ► October (6) ▼ September (4) Pressure Groups & their role in Democracy Schedule of Civils Prelims and Main Exam for 2015 ... 7 articles on current events  Articles related to Forest Act and recent dilution... ► May (1) ►  April (1) ► 2013 (9)

special interest which it seeks to promote. For example, the Bank Unions fight for their rights, whereas the Kishan Sabhas safeguard the interests of the farmers; language groups want prominence given to their respective languages etc. From the types and roles of the pressure

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 Yadagiri  Yadagi ri Badicala

groups, we can better understand their th eir objectives. 3. Types of pressure groups in In dia:

Follow

The pressure groups can be broadly classified as under.  Institutional pressure group-These groups are formally organized which constitutes

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professionally employed persons. They are part of government machinery and raise its protests with constitutional means. For example Bureaucracy, army, central election committee etc. group-The p-These se are the grou group p that have analo analogy gy with individua individuall self  Anomic pressure grou representation. They may be constitutional or unconstitutional, perpetual infiltration such as riots, demonstration etc. For example ULFA. Naxalites, Kashmir liberal front etc.   Associations

pressure

group-The grou p-These se

are

organized organ ized

specialized

groups grou ps

formed

for interest articulation but to pursue limited goal. For example Trade union, student association, teachers association, Jewellers association etc.  Non-Associations pressure group-These are the informal groups include caste group,

language group, syndicate, Ghanaian group etc. The major pressure groups present in India are as follows

The business group-They are independent of political parties and influence planning licensing bodies and economic ministers. They help in budget formulation. For example conference of Indian Industries (CII), Association chamber of commerce, Federation of  Indian chamber of Commerce & industry (FICCI).

 Peasant's

organization-It gained power in 1960's. At Central level only one All India Kisan

Congress exists. On territorial basis All Kisan Kamgar, Akil Bhartiya Kisan Sangh. The Bhartiya Kisan Party (BKP) in western U.P is most significant. 

Student's organizations- They pressurize the government on educational issues and various critical issues. For example Student Federation Federation of India [SFI] National Union of  India, The Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarti parishad [ ABVP], Progressive Democratic Students Union [PDSU]

etc. They fight for better better facilities for students in the colleges colleges and and

hostels and fees reimbursement etc.  Community

association- They are in context to safeguard respective community/ religion.

For example Schedule caste federation, backward caste federation, Vishwa Hindu parishad, RSS etc. 

Linguistic groups-These pressure groups promote certain languages. For example-Tamil Sangh, Hindi Protection Parishad, Punjabi Sahit sabhas etc. The pressure exerted by the southern states has led to due recognition to their languages and all four south

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B. Yadagiri IRS: Pressure Groups & their role in Democracy Indian languages, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam got “classical language status” from the Government of India.  Tribal

(regional groups)-There are several tribal interest groups have been active in India.

For example The United Mizo Federal organization, The Tribal sang of Assam, The tribal League of Assam, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, several NGOs etc. 

Professional groups-Several professional interest groups like India Bar Association, All India Medical Council, College teachers etc.

 Media

as pressure group: Mass media plays vital role in reveling the various happening of 

politics and life of common people all around. In countries such as India the mass media  –the radio, TV, t he c inema and the press are very powerful means of social change and act as pressure group for the interest of common people and reveals the all deeds of the government. Mass media in its full swing of working can openly criticize the government and have right to place their view on certain situation. Further mass media help to generate a common platform which tries to focus on core issues of the society and its need. So media role is as much important in influencing activities of the political parties as that of other pressure group working to strive certain specific goals. In-fact in this contemporary world media acts as agent of change focusing on social development of  society and hence media role of pressurizing government given it nature of pressure group which is of vital importance. 4. Features of Indian pressure groups 

Based on certain interest-The basis on which each pressure group are formed are the certain interest. Each pressure group organizes itself keeping in view certain interests.

 Lack

of alignment with any party-Pressure group in India functions in multi-party system

environment. Hence they try to maintain relation with all of them. During 194789 pressure group tries to keep good relation with congress as it was the ruling party in most part of India. Since mid 1990'spressure group in India try to influence all major  national party. 

Pressure group uses party platform- pressure groups uses party platform to seek their interest fulfilled. They try to maintain their relation with both ruling and opposition party.



presence of political parties sponsored pressure group- In India political parties always tries to organize their own interest groups in various trade, professions and industries. For example Congress-Youth congress, Communist party-Student's federation of India, Bhartiya Janta party-Akhil Bhartiya vidhjarthi Parisad etc.



Resulting out of increasing pressure and demand on resources- As resources of  developing country are usually scarce, there are claims and counter claims on their  resources from different and competing section of society emerging as pressure group.



Use of traditional and modern means- Indian pressure group use both modern and traditional means. Modern method like lobbying, funding political parties, introducing favorable person in the legislature, executive and cultivate connections with bureaucratic officials, traditional loyalties, caste loyalties, religious loyalties etc are traditional method.



Existence

of

several

caste

family

and

religion

based

groups-

Several

Indian pressure group have been formed for promoting the interest of certain caste and religion. The All Indian Rajput sabha, The Jat organization, the Jain Sabhas, Shiv Sena, Brahmin Sabha, Reddi sangam etc.  A

counter check on political parties- I ndia is having mixed economy and its foremost goal is included in planned development. In this context the pressure group plays vital role and act as a counter cheek to politics and political parties. For example-acts like MRPT or land reforms.

 Keep on emerging and dissolving- According to the interest the pressure group formed and

once interest attained the pressure groups may dissolve. Pressure groups are temporary in nature which keeps on emerging and dissolving after some time. For example anti-sati group, anti-dowry etc. The Civil society group which became very active in Delhi on the Nirbaya incident has gone into oblivion once Nirbaya Act was brought in by the Government. 

More dependent on means of direct action- Indian pressure groups depends more on methods of direct action such as bandh, strikes, gheraos etc.



influence

being

shifted

from

negative

to

positive-

In

India

pressure

group

initially influence negatively as preventing nationalization of rice trade, food grain, increase in land tax etc. But now pressure group has positive influence, it assists government in forming rules. For example wheat policy of government framed in March 1974 was outcome of positive efforts and support of all-India food grain dealers association.  State

acts as pressure group- Constitution under Article 262 and 263 makes provision for 

central parliament to settle border disputes and inter-state water disputes where in the members of every states maintains its liaison officers in Delhi to maintain its contact and act as pressure group. 5. Role of pressure group in India The capacity of pressure groups is determined by leadership, organizational abilities, mass media, economic power base and mobilizations technique. Beside this they are using lobbying method,

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B. Yadagiri IRS: Pressure Groups & their role in Democracy strike, bandhs, demonstrations, funding political parties, using party platform etc. Even pressure group role is indirect it facilitates many vital roles in administration. The various roles of pressure groups are as follows Role

in legislature- Pressure groups tries to introduce their chosen person into legislature.

Further, they may exert to influence on Legislature to enact certain law. They help political parties on the eve of election and prepares election manifesto and fund them also to achieve desired objective. The civil society groups under the leadership of Anna Hazare has exerted maximum pressure on the then Govt. to pass Jan Lok Pal bill. Similarly, Nirbhaya Act.  Role

in executive-Pressure group tries to fill high executive posts with men of their own

choice i.e. selection of cabinet, distribution of portfolios and P.M selection due to prevalence of collation government. And henceforth influences policy implementation process.  Role

in Bureaucracy- Bureaucrats are politically neutral and hence pressure group tries to

oblige them by putting good remarks that protect their interests. Bureaucrats have long tenure and so they are in contact with them to oblige.  Role

in judiciary-appointment of judges in political affairs and here pressure groups plays

important role in that high judicial offices are occupied by them.  Developments

of marginalized sections- Several Tribal activist groups have spearheading

the movements against the exploitation of tribal population and forced Govt. to pass protribal forest policies and Forest Act. The Forest Act, 2006 is one such piece of  legislation. 6. Criticism of Pressure groups Pressure group in India are basically criticized on the following grounds Focus

on parochial interest-Pressure group getting influence by their sectional and local

interest more as compared to their common interest.  Lack

of effective membership-Pressure groups do not have well developed infrastructure

which can help them in regular way pursuing their interest.  Lack

of autonomous existence-Most of the pressure groups except business groups does

not have an independent autonomous existence of their own. Most of them dominated by political parties, which tries to divide each pressure group and have strong hold over  one group at least.  Varying

life span-In India we have loose and disorganized multiparty system hence even

pressure group appears big and small with varying life span that appears and disappears. 

Unstable-Pressure group lacks stability and commitment which results in shift in their  loyalties according to changing political situation.

 Ineffective

for interest articulation-pressure group like trade union in India lacked trained

and competent functionaries. They have been not effective agents of interest articulation in India.  Use

of unconstitutional method-Pressure groups in India tries to influence the government

mainly

through

various

unconstitutional

methods

such

as

strikes,

agitation,

demonstration, lockouts etc. 

Sometimes led to mass violence -Pressure group involves with protest and certain radicalization of political life results into mass violence. For example Naxalite movement starting after fourth general election of 1967 in west Bengal.

 Threat

to democratic set up-The tendency of pressure group to resort to coercion to secure

the solution of a socio-political problem in streets could be regarded as a serious threat to democratic set up. 7. Difference between political party and pressure group Political party and pressure group both very important in decision making of the various policies and exists along with political parties in every nation but there is vast difference between the two. The major difference between political parties and pressure group are as follows Pressure group is the public body acting behind the political party(outside political party)

where as political parties constitutes government  Pressure group act is indirect as well as intermittent. They try to influence and pressurize

the government to get their demand fulfilled. They do not intervene directly where as Political parties act directly, they are legally entitled to frame policies and take decision concerning the country.  Pressure groups pressurize executive and legislature to achieve its aim where as Political

parties bring co-ordination in the working of executive and legislature.  pressure group uses both conventional and non-conventional means to demonstrate their 

demands where as Political parties uses only constitutional means to execute its duties and functions  Pressure group works for self interest, they emerge and dissolve as per the need of 

certain groups where as Political party works for national interests and not merely for  any certain group or objective.  Pressure group emerges and dissolves where as political parties are recognized by

election commission.

8. Differences between pressure groups in India and west

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B. Yadagiri IRS: Pressure Groups & their role in Democracy Both India and Western countries are democracies. But within western countries there are differences between Presidential and Parliamentary forms of government. India though a parliamentary democracy differs from such countries of the West in terms of  developmental levels. Therefore there are some differences in the role of pressure groups. Firstly, the American pressure groups are regarded as the fourth organ of the government but the Indian pressure groups are not yet able to play such significant role in polities. Secondly, in India and Great Britain, the cabinet and civil services are the main targets of  pressure groups for lobbying purposes rather than the parliament. However, the targets of American pressure groups are the Congress and its committees rather than the President for lobbying purposes. Thirdly, Indian pressure groups based on caste, religion, region, etc. are more powerful than the modern groups like business organizations. Fourthly, a significant feature of   American pressure groups is that in the USA pressure groups take interest in foreign policy issues while in India pressure groups do not seem to have interest in foreign policy matters. Comparatively, the Indian pressure groups are concerned more with domestic policy issues and problems, and less with foreign policy matters. Fourthly, the pressure groups in the west are more organized than that of Indian pressure groups. In the USA and west, the lobbying for certain facilities is legal where as they are not legal in India. 9. Conclusion: The role of pressure groups is to achieve their objectives by exerting pressure on the Government. Thus the works of these groups are done as per their wish, though they are not in power. Till their  demands, help some vulnerable group or section of people or a group of business or some unintended injustice either removed or avoided, it is good for the country, otherwise, they may do more harm than favour by further promoting nepotism and favoritism, at the cost of genuine and deserving group or business. *****

Posted by Yadagiri Badicala at 07:24

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3 comments: Hari Lahari  8 November 2014 at 04:47 sir can u plz provide this material in telugu..it will be immense usefull for telugu medium students Reply

manoj joshi  9 September 2015 at 06:08 sir can u please provide strategy for commerce and accountancy optional paper  Reply

sandhya narayan  5 October 2015 at 07:28

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