2.1 - The Functions and Features of Political Parties Flashcards
What type of democracy is the UK?
Representative
Where do right-wing policies come from?
Liberal and Conservative idealogy, including a liberal focus on the importance of limiting excessive government, keeping taxation low and protecting individual liberty.
Emphasis is placed on law and order, strong defense (army, police etc.) and national sovereignty.
Where do left-wing policies come from?
Emphasis on the importance of a fair and equal society through positive state intervention.
Higher taxes on the wealthy, extensive welfare provision and greater state influence on the economy.
Socially progressive, and favours an internationalist approach to global problems.
What is consensus politics?
Many philosophical and policy similarities between the main political parties, therefore leading to the opposition supporting some government policies.
What is adversary politics?
The main parties are divided by fundamental philosophical and policy differences.
What is Butskellitism?
When a party that is traditionally politically leaning adopts the policies of the other wing.
Hugh Gaitskell and R.A. Butler, Labour CotE and Tory CotE respectively came together to reach full employment and a mixed economy.
What is a mandate?
If a party wins an election they can claim the right to implement their policies as laid out in their manifesto.
Who is a clear example of Butskellism?
Tony Blair under New Labour.
What are the differences between the Conservatives and Labour party in reference to manifesto creation?
In the Labour Party, a National Policy Forum consults with party members over policy development.
Conservatives are more likely to have a manifesto drawn up by senior party members rather than party members.
What is a ‘doctor’s mandate’?
The government is able to propose measures not included within its manifesto in response to changing political circumstances.
In what ways do political parties help democracy?
Without parties it would be very difficult to establish a government as each individual would be separate from others.
Political parties develop their political programmes through discussion.
Without political parties, voting in elections would be more complicated because voters would no longer be able to associate a candidate with a manifesto.
Opposition parties can hold a government accountable.
In what ways do political parties hinder democracy?
Reduction in voter choice as voters must associate themselves with one manifesto, despite that manifesto not 100% representing their beliefs.
MP’s of a party are not able to represent their own beliefs as they must represent the views of the party (to a certain extent).
The almost tribalism between parties creates confrontational and negative approaches towards government.
Political parties give excessive power to the party membership.
The way that main political parties benefit from massively disproportionate funding ensures that they can monopolise political decision making.
How are political parties funded?
£2 million is allocated to each of the major parties in policy development grants.
Short money (named after Labour politician Ted Short) is allocated to opposition parties relative to how many seats they have. (£800k is given to the Leader of the Opposition)
Cranborne money (named after Conservative peer Lord Cranborne) subsidises the work of scrutiny carried out by opposition parties in the HoL.
What do policy development grants allow parties to employ?
Policy advisers
What do subsidies cover?
Anything outside of campaigning and election expenses.
