What are the disadvantages of advocacy?

What is advocacy? and what are its contribution to our society?

• we have a homework in which we have to define advocacy. Honestly, I am not yet fully aware of what is advocacy. thanks to those who will answer. :)

• Answer:

  Advocacy is where someone who is more skilled ( better educated, more articulate etc) speaks out for someone elses rights/welfare .e.g. You can get voluntary work as an advocate for the elderly. You would then help out with forms they might not understand if confused, speak up for them at meeting to ensure that their welfare was the prime consideration. This they might not be able to do effectively for themselves. This is why lawyers in courts are called advocates - they are skilled in putting a clients case in teh best possible light. It is designed to ensure fair play - i.e. you don't get better justice because you are more intelligent/articulate/knowledgable. Where it falls down is that money can hire a better advocate. in some ways advocacy is a bit like the medieval practice of being able to have a champion in trial by combat , its just less physical. But same basic principle.