Grant, Wyn. (2008) The changing patterns of group politics in Britain. British Politics, Vol.3 (No.2). pp. 204-222. ISSN 1746-918X

Preview

PDF WRAP_Grant_Chicago.pdf - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader Download (118Kb)

Abstract

Two interpretations of ways in which group politics in Britain have presented challenges to democracy are reviewed: neo-corporatism or pluralistic stagnation and the rise of single issue interest groups. The disappearance of the first paradigm created a political space for the second to emerge. A three-phase model of group activity is developed: a phase centred around production interests, followed by the development of broadly based 'other regarding' groups, succeeded by fragmented, inner directed groups focusing on particular interests. Explanations of the decay of corporatism are reviewed. Single issue group activity has increased as party membership has declined and is facilitated by changes in traditional media and the development of the internet. Such groups can overload the policy-making process and frustrate depoliticisation. Debates about the constitution and governance have largely ignored these issues and there is need for a debate.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General) D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Politics and International Studies
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Democracy -- Great Britain, Political participation -- Great Britain, Party affiliation -- Great Britain, Great Britain -- Government policy, Great Britain -- Politics and government
Journal or Publication Title:	British Politics
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.
ISSN:	1746-918X
Date:	June 2008
Volume:	Vol.3
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	pp. 204-222
Identification Number:	10.1057/bp.2008.3
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
References:	# 10 Downing Street Newsroom (1998) Speech in New York, 14 April. # Almond, G. (1983) 'Corporatism, pluralism and professional memory', World Politics 35: 245–260. | Article | # Baggott, R. and McGregor-Riley, V. (1999) 'Renewed Consultation or Continued Exclusion? Organised Interests and the Major Governments', in P. Dorey (ed.) The Major Premiership, London: Macmillan, pp. 68–86. # Baggott, R., Allsop, J. and Jones, K. (2005) Speaking for Patients and Carers: Health Consumer Groups and the Policy Process, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. # Beer, S. (1969) Modern British Politics, London: Faber and Faber. # Beer, S. (1982) Britain Against Itself: the Political Contradictions of Collectivism, London: Faber and Faber. # Beer, S. (1997) 'Britain after Blair', Political Quarterly 68(4): 317–324. | Article | # Boswell, J. and Peters, J. (1997) Capitalism in Contention, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. # Brass, E. and Koziell, S.P. (1997) Gathering Force, London: The Big Issue Writers. # Bryant, C. (ed.) (2007) Towards a New Constitutional Settlement, London: Smith Institute. # Bull, D. (2007) 'What an Amazing Time to be Involved in this Sort of Politics', in H. Curtis and M. Sanderson (eds.) The Unsung Sixties: Memoirs of Social Innovation, London: Whiting and Burch, pp. 116–130. # Burnham, P. (2001) 'New Labour and the politics of depoliticisation', The British Journal of Politics and International Relations 3(2): 127–149. | Article | # Crafts, N. (2000) 'Globalization and growth in the twentieth century', IMF Working Paper, Washington DC. # Crouch, C. (2006) 'Neo-Corporatism and Democracy', in C. Crouch and W. Streeck (eds.) The Diversity of Democracy: Corporatism, Social Order and Political Conflict, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 46–70. # Dudley, G. and Richardson, J. (1998) 'Arenas without rules and the policy change process: outsider groups and British roads policy', Political Studies 46(4): 727–747. | Article | # Eichengreen, B. (2007) The European Economy Since 1945, Princeton: Princeton University Press. # Flinders, M. and Buller, J. (2006) 'Depoliticisation: principles, tactics and tools', British Politics 1(3): 293–318. | Article | # Giddens, A. (1991) Modernity and Self-Identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age, Cambridge, Polity. # Giddens, A. (1998) 'After the Left's paralysis', New Statesman, 1 May, 18–20. # Grant, W. (1981) 'The development of the government relations function in UK firms', Labour Market Policy Discussion Paper, Berlin: International Institute of Management. # Grant, W. (2000) Pressure Groups and British Politics, Basingstoke: Macmillan. # Grant, W. (2004) 'Pressure politics: the changing world of pressure groups', Parliamentary Affairs 57(2): 408–419. | Article | # Grant, W. and Elcock, H. (2007) 'Citizens, Communities and Direct Democracy', in A. Russell and G. Stoker (eds.) Failing Politics: A Response to the Governance of Britain Green Paper, Newcastle: Political Studies Association, pp. 26–29. # Grant, W. and Marsh, D. (1975) 'The politics of the CBI: 1974 and after', Government and Opposition 10(1): 90–106. | Article | # Greaves, J. (2004) 'The reform of business representation in Britain, 1970–1997', PhD thesis, University of Warwick. # Hay, C. and Stoker, G. (2007) 'Who's Failing Whom? Politics, Politicians, the Public and Sources of Political Dissatisfaction', in A. Russell and G. Stoker (eds.) Failing Politics: A Response to the Governance of Britain Green Paper, Newcastle: Political Studies Association, pp. 4–8. # Jones, A. (1977) 'Inflation as an Industrial Problem', in R. Skidelsky (ed.) The End of the Keynesian Era, London: Macmillan, pp. 50–58. # Jordan, G. and Maloney, W. (2007) Democracy and Interest Groups: Enhancing Participation?, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. # Leruez, J. (1975) Economic Planning and Politics in Britain, Oxford: Martin Robertson. # Marsh, D. and Grant, W. (1977) 'Tripartism: reality or myth?', Government and Opposition 12(2): 194–211. | Article | # Moran, M. (2006) '"The unanticipated consequences of reigning ideas": Samuel Beer and the study of British politics', British Politics 1(1): 139–150. | Article | # Nownes, A.J. (2004) 'The population ecology of interest group formation: mobilizing for gay and lesbian rights in the United States, 1950–98', British Journal of Political Science 34(1): 49–67. | Article | # Nownes, A.J. and Lipinski, D. (2005) 'The population ecology of interest group death: gay and lesbian rights interest groups in the United States, 1945–98', British Journal of Political Science 35: 303–319. | Article | # Panitch, L. (1980) 'Recent theorisations of corporatism: reflections on a growth industry', British Journal of Sociology 31: 119–146. | Article | # Riddell, P. (1996) 'Introduction: Pressure Groups, Media and Government', in Social Market Foundation (ed.) Pressure Group Politics in Modern Britain, London: Social Market Foundation. # Rootes, C. (2003) 'Britain', in C. Rootes (ed.) Environmental Protest in Western Europe, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 116–130. # Rowbotham, S. (2004) 'Introduction', in H. Curtis and M. Sanderson (eds.) The Unsung Sixties: Memoirs of Social Innovation, London: Whiting and Burch, pp. ix–xii. # Sandbrook, D. (2007) White Heat: A History of Britain the Swinging Sixties, London: Abacus. # Schmitter, P.C. (1974) 'Still the century of corporatism', Review of Politics 36(1): 85–131. # Schmitter, P.C. (1979) 'Still the Century of Corporatism?', in P. Schmitter and G. Lehmbruch (eds.) Trends Towards Corporatist Intermediation, London: Sage, pp. 7–52. # Simkins, J. (2004) 'You still have to Fight Tooth and Nail', in H. Curtis and M. Sanderson (eds.) The Unsung Sixties: Memoirs of Social Innovation, London: Whiting and Burch, pp. 307–317. # Smith Institute (2007) 'Towards a New Constitutional Settlement', typescript. # Social Market Foundation (1996) (ed) Pressure Group Politics in Modern Britain, London: Social Market Foundation. # Stoker, G. (2006) Why Politics Matters, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. # Streeck, W. (2006) 'The Study of Organized Interests: Before "The Century" and After', in C. Crouch and W. Streeck (eds.) The Diversity of Democracy: Corporatism, Social Order and Political Conflict, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 3–45. # Williamson, P.J. (1989) Corporatism in Perspective: an Introductory Guide to Corporatist Theory, London: Sage. # Worcester, R.M., Mortimore, R. and Baines, P. (2005) Explaining Labour's Landslip, London: Politico's.
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/1283

Request changes to a record

Actions (login required)

View Item