This book is the first in-depth study of this crucial section of the Conservative Party. Drawing on new and revealing survey data, it paints a fascinating picture of the social make-up and political views of a grass roots membership who dislike Jacques Delors more than the European Community, and The Sun newspaper most of all. The book challenges the stereotypical view of the Conservative activist as an eccentric and politically irrelevant Thatcher-loving extremist. Instead, the authors argue that the grass roots membership are the unsung heroes of political life; helping to keep the party...

The role of interest groups in formulating EC policy is a central aspect of European Community development. This work uniquely provides academic analysis and an insider's account of how lobbying works. It examines the results of the increasing power transfer to Brussels in terms of EC policy progress, the activities of the EC Commission as an "adolescent" bureaucracy, and lobbying group behavior at national and European levels. The book also discusses a wide range of special interest groups involved in lobbying--business, financial institutions, industry, and nonprofit organizations. With...

Since the early 1950s pressure groups have been recognized as playing a key role in the policy process in western democracies. As legislatures and political parties have declined in influence, the relationship between pressure groups and government has become highly developed. This has presented both problems and opportunities for the participation of ordinary citizens in the governmental process. This book reviews some of the key theoretical concepts developed in the study of pressure groups and presents a series of up-to-date studies of their role in particular countries, including the...