Social Movements and Pressure Groups: Two Ways of Collective Action

Abstract

The theoretical discussion presents a comparison between the course and the form of actuation of the social movements and the pressure groups. These two kinds of collective action are not usually analyzed together because the points of view of the analysts do not have the same legitimacy level. We argue that despite the social movements had brought to Brazilian politics a new way of expression and action, pressure groups won legitimacy when start increasing their strength through the post-1985 redemocratization process. In view of the change in the way of representation in Brazil, nowadays the working class organizes itself both in social movements and pressure groups in order to guarantee their rights, especially in the legislative scope.