Popular Struggles and Movements
* Differences in a democracy need to be expressed in an organized way.
* In April 2006, Nepal witnessed a popular movement which was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king.
* Bolivia witnessed a people’s struggles against the privatization of water in Bolivia.
* Mass scale protest by the people started in the country and new alliances of labour, human rights and community leaders was formed in January 2000.
* The struggle in Nepal was about the foundation of the country’s politics whereas the movements in Bolivia was about one specific policy.
* In a democratic country, the conflicts are usually resolved by existing institutions like the parliaments or the judiciary.
* Another way of influencing the decisions in a democracy is by participating in politics, creating parties, contesting elections and forming governments while the rest of the populace participates by voting.
Pressure Groups
* Pressure groups are organization that influences government policies by putting pressure on the ruling government.
* There are two types of pressure groups- sectional interest groups and public interest groups.
* The sectional interest groups promote the interests of a particular section or a group of society.
* Public interest groups represent common interests for the betterment of people or have a common cause that needs to be defended.
* Movement groups can be broadly classified under two types- issues specific movements and general movements.
* An issue specific movement seeks to achieve a single purpose within a specified time.
* A general movement seeks to achieve a broad ranging goal in the long term.
Influence of Pressure Groups on Politics
* The objective of pressure groups and movements is to pressurize the governments to agree to their demands.
* These groups try to get public support and sympathy for their objectives by carrying out campaign, and some unconventional methods like organizing protests.
* The relationship between politics parties and pressure groups can take different forms and can be either direct or indirect.
* The pressure groups are either formed or led by the leader of political parties or act as the extended form of political parties.
* Parties and interest groups often take positions that are opposed to each other, yet they are in dialogue and negotiation.
* Sometimes, pressure groups with small public support are backed by individuals who are willing to spend for the cause.