Comparison of Pressure Groups and Political Parties

September 21, 2016 September 21, 2016

The differences and similarities between Pressure Groups and Political parties are as follows:

While the Pressure groups seek to exert influence, political parties seek to win power
The members of a pressure group have shared interests and common causes. They may have different ideologies and party preferences despite being members of same group. The political parties are associations of individuals sharing common values and preferences.
Pressure groups are formed to solve their immediate problems. Political parties are formed on ideological lines and they continuously engage in mobilisation of the masses with aim to capture the power and consolidate their position to attain or realise their ideological goals.
While the pressure groups have narrow issue focus, most political parties have broad issue focus as well as a vision for the future.
Pressure groups are relatively temporary than the political parties.
Pressure groups remain confided to a select group of people, unlike political parties which engage in mass mobilization.

Both the pressure groups and political parties are main media through which the public’s views and interests are channelled to government.
Both of them carry out representation, facilitate political participation and contribute to the policy process.
In some circumstances, the political parties may act like a pressure group. This generally occurs when these parties adopt pragmatic approach and degenerate to the level of a pressure group to extract benefits for their party leaders and members.