The Power of Pressure Groups to Influence Government

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As progress of the society, knowledge standard of people are constantly increased. People no longer blindly obey the government when they are dissatisfied with the policies and exercising different channels to express their views, it reflects the raise of civic participation and political awareness. This essay is purported to discuss the statement – “The power of pressure groups to influence government is, in reality, limited.” with examples of Hong Kong.

Green Sense (2004), The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU, 1948), Hong Kong Professional Teahers’ Unions (HKPTU, 2010) and The Association for the Advancement of Feminism (AAF, 1984), which are some of the pressure groups in Hong Kong. Pressure groups and interest groups could be the same meanings in a certain way, when an interest group actively chase the objective with government. Both of them are originated from freedom of association as voluntary organization that the members free to join in and share a common interest or goals, and attempt to influence public policy. The purpose for them is to protect or enhance shared interest to affect government on specific issues, but the groups are different from political parties. (Jordon and Maloney, 2007 and Watts, 2007) Parties in Hong Kong such as Democratic Party (1994), Civic Party (2006), Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB, 2001) and Liberal Party (2004) are mainly focus on political and tend to ideological based on political ideals, philosophy and fight elections and to form a government, and having the broad policy interests. Conversely, pressure groups are pragmatic and do not usually stand for elective office, and having narrow policy interests. The memberships of th...

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...line]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://aaf.org.hk/

The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. (2011). [online]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://www.cgcc.org.hk/

The Democratic Party. (1994). [online]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://www.dphk.org/

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions. (1948). [online]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://www.ftu.org.hk/

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (1903). [online]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://www.spca.org.hk/

United Nation. (2011). [online]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://www.un.org/

WATTS, Duncan. (2007). Pressure Groups. [online]. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press. Book from MyiLibrary last accessed 16 March 2011 at: http://myilibrary.com/

World Trade Organization. (2011). [online]. Last accessed 15 March 2011 at: http://www.wto.org/

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