Are Pressure Groups And Movements Healthy For Democracy?

The term Pressure Groups was coined in U.S. Pressure groups work to promote and defend their interests. They are not interested in capturing political power or contesting elections. Their aim is to bring about a change in the current public policy. These groups are also called as Vested Groups. Their agenda is to only promote specific issues. Pressure groups try to influence decision making of the Government regarding a specific issue by adopting any of the respective methods - electioneering, lobbying, propagandizing, public debating, maintaining contacts with legislators, strikes, corruption etc. so on and so forth.

Pressure Groups if they try to secure a post in public office for a person who is favorably inclined towards the interest they are promoting, then it is called as electioneering. On the other hand if they try to persuade public officers to adopt the policies which will promote their interests then it is called as lobbying. Thirdly they can go to the public and try to influence their opinion and thereby exert pressure onto the Government, as in a democracy public opinion matters substantially. This is called propagandizing.

Pressure Groups are well developed in western nations as compared with India. Some of the Pressure Groups in India are as follows -

1) Business Groups - 1] Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). 2] Federation of Indian Chamber Of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

2) Professional Associations - 1] Indian Medical Association (IMA).
2] Bar Council Of India (BCI).

3) Agrarian Groups - 1] Shetkari Sanghatna.
2] Bhartiya Kisan Sangh.

What is your opinion? - Are pressure groups and movements healthy for a democrazy?