A coherent overview of pressure groups in Britain and how they influence the government, accessible to non-specialist graduate and undergraduate students. Discusses what pressure groups are and how they are studied; their place in a democracy; their internal structures and dynamics; their cooperation and resources; and their relationship to the central government, Parliament, the press and public, and other pressure points. Distributed in the US by St. Martin's Press. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns and educational outreach or protest actions. Parties often espouse an expressed ideology or vision bolstered by a written platform with specific goals, forming a coalition among disparate interests. An advocacy group is a group or an organization which tries to influence the government but does not hold power in the government. A single-issue group may form in response to a particular issue area sometimes in response to a single event or threat. Some have developed into important social, political institutions or social movements. Some powerful Lobby groups have been accused of manipulating the democratic system for narrow commercial gain and in some instances have been found guilty of corruption, fraud, bribery and other serious crimes; lobbying has become increasingly regulated as a result. Some groups, generally ones with less financial resources, may use direct action and civil disobedience and in some cases are accused of being a threat to the social order or ‘domestic extremists. Research is beginning to explore how advocacy groups use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action. Contents: • Political Parties • The Role of Political Parties in Constitutionalising Governance • The Systemic Role of Parties and Interest Groups • Functions of Pressure Groups • Growth of Pressure Groups • Legal Representation of Interests • Social Movement • Social Movement in India

Pressure groups are an important influence on modern politics, with people feeling strongly about single issues, willing to protest, lobby and petition for their cause.

This volume, first published in 1967, offers a new approach to the study of pressure groups, whose importance in the British political system has been increasingly recognised in recent years. Francis Castles seeks to throw light on this topic, firstly by examining the theoretical approaches to an understanding of their role in the political process and secondy by presenting a number of specific studies. For the first time, in one small volume, the reader can become acquainted with pressure groups in continental Europe, Scandinavia, the United States, the totalitarian countries, and the emergent nations. The study is comprehensive in itself and also an invaluable guide to more detailed work in this field of political science.

In the late 1960s representative democracy was under fire from various directions even in countries, like Britain and America, where it had appeared to be most secure and successful. Must democracy be a sham, either because of the power of pressure groups and other established decision-makers, or because ‘the people’ are too ignorant and irrational? What, in any case, does or can representative government mean in a complex industrial society – and what does it mean to be rational in politics? It is to these and other vital issues that this book, originally published in 1970, directs itself. In the course of their argument the authors, who feel no contradiction between their academic and their ‘radical democratic’ commitments, draw extensively upon recent empirical studies of voting, pressure groups, and of the sociological and social psychological aspects of political behaviour in Britain and the USA at the time. Problems of the nature of such evidence, the conduct of attitude surveys and opinion polls, and the relationship between modern research and the traditional themes of political theory are also analysed.

Pressure groups are fundamental to pluralist societies. But what is the relationship between those groups and parliaments? This work explores the links between parliaments and pressure groups, assessing the extent and impact of the contact that occurs. Is pressure group activity beneficial to parliament? And what are the implications for the political system?

Pressure Groups are an increasingly important feature of the political landscape and they are active on many levels, local, national or European. They reflect a diverse compass of interests from the well-known (the National Farmers' Union) to the less familiar (the Zip Fastener Association) and interact with a wide range of political players in different parts of the political system: parties, the media, government and parliament. They are involved at every stage of the political process, from raising issues and agenda setting to policy implementation and monitoring.

The three key sections in this course book are the business environment (including organisations, responsibilities and people), the economic, social and global environment and international and European trade. It provides a concise presentation of the key areas of both national and international economics.Features include summary diagrams, worked examples and illustrations, activities, discussion topics, chapter summaries and quick quizzes, all presented in a user friendly format that helps to bring the subject to life.

This textbook provides complete coverage of modern studies at S1 and S2 and matches the new 5-14 guidelines for this subject. This accessible and comprehensive text also integrates the Scottish aspects of citizenship into modern studies and is supported by an extensive activity pack. The Activity and Assessment Pack provides valuable guidance on and exemplification of assessment levels, together with teacher notes, marking schemes and a wealth of photocopiable lesson support materials.