Illustrate with examples the role of pressure groups in the formulation of social policies. (UPSC CSE Mains 2022 - Sociology, Paper 1)
- A pressure group is a group of people who are organised actively for promoting and defending their common interest. They are different from the political parties. Their activities are confined to the protection and promotion of the interests of their members by influencing the government.
The pressure groups influence the policymaking and policy implementation in the government through methods like lobbying, correspondence, publicity, propagandising, petitioning, public debating, and so forth.
- Policy formulation usually occurs in government bureaucracy, offices of interest groups, meetings of special commissions and policy planning organizations. Formulation of policies that promote gender equality is greatly enhanced by the active participation of various agencies from both formal and informal channels. The formal channels include the legislative, executive and political wings of the government. The informal channels of policy formulation include the political parties, civil society organizations, community-based groups, private-for-profit firms, trade unions etc. It is difficult for any policy formulator to make policy in isolation. Hence, for effective formulation of policies, cooperation of various players is essential and interaction between the formal and informal channels provides the basis for a more informed policy dialogue on gender issues.
Role of pressure groups in the formulation of social policies
- They strive to influence the decisions of the government without attempting to occupy political offices.
- Pressure groups concerned with gender issues have had a particularly important role in designing and implementing gender programmes at the local level and advocating policy change at the national level. Acting alone, the individual citizen is rarely a significant force. In this context, group action by way of PGs serves as an effective method compared to individual action for citizens to influence public policies. Unless large numbers of citizens are organized for some common purpose or interest, the chances of transmitting their messages and policy issues will become bleak.
- PGs have a vital input in the policy-making process.
- PGs are important institutions in enhancing the effect of public opinion.
- PGs serve as links between individual citizens and policy makers. They aid citizens in communicating their hopes to public officials by offering personnel and expertise in substantive matters of policy making. To policy makers, the associations offer expertise and political support.
- PGs articulate the interests and demands of the society, seek support for these demands among other groups by advocacy and bargaining and strive to transform these demands into public policies. For example, women’s organizations such as All India Women’s Conference, Mahila Milan, Self-Employed Women’s Association in India (SEWA), etc. have already influenced the enactment of a number of statutes such as Anti-Dowry Act, Anti-Sati Act, Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act, etc.
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