Political structures and interest group activism: A comparison of the British and American pro-life movements

This article examines the relationship between the structure of state power and interest group activism in Great Britain and the United States using as a model a comparison of the pro-life movement in both countries. The article proposes that different types of political structures create different sets of opportunities for interest group activism. A review of abortion politics in Britain shows how a unitary political system, lack of elite support, and strong party structures, frustrated the political efforts of pro-life organizations. In contrast, American pro-life interest groups took advantage of opportunities created by a federal political system, weak political parties, and elite support to become a significant social force in state and national politics.