Features and Functions of Political Parties Flashcards

1
Q

What are the features of a Political Party?

A
  • A group of people organised together to further a common political aim, sharing a common ideology and agreeing on a wide range of policies.
  • The party aims to implement its policies through the accession of its candidates to public office, forming a government if gaining sufficient support.
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2
Q

What are the functions of Political Parties?

A
  • To provide government and opposition. Larger Parties have a sufficient number of members to form a government or opposition. Independent candidates find this difficult. Allow government to be accountable to the electorate. Parties construct manifestoes, if elected, deliver the policies in the manifesto. Have numbers and organisation to achieve this. If they fail, removed at next election.
  • To serve as agencies of representation. (represent sections of the electorate through varying ideologies). Electorates divide over issues – represent these divisions. Represent social groups in society – class, ethnicity, gender, region, religion etc. Range of choice of programmes. Each manifesto gives voters a choice of policies/approaches. Accessing government difficult. Voters can through MPs, Lords, party officials. who have access to PM, Cabinet ministers and senior party officials.
  • Enable popular participation in politics to take place.
    Offer a range of roles, positions and tasks for political activists. Participation for the public, and recruitment of potential office holders. Individuals can learn skills, information and acquire contacts. Helps them to fulfil the role of councillors, MPs, Lords or even Cabinet ministers.
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3
Q

What are two arguments that a Parliament of party representatives is better than one of independents?

A
  • Representatives subject to party discipline so more likely to support the policies they were elected to implement – maintain manifesto commitments. Greater degree of accountability.
  • They are able to form natural majorities to ensure that policies are passed in the Parliament, Assembly or council chamber.
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4
Q

What are the main criticisms of Political Parties?

A
  • Failed to attract new members in recent decades so quality of people has declined.
  • Parties with a small membership are unrepresentative of wider society and unresponsive to wider sections of the population.
  • Minority interests can be unrepresented by parties seeking office.
  • Elections are uncompetitive if parties lack members and funds.
  • Main parties are too similar – fail to offer the electorate a real choice.
  • Only three main parties, difficult for new issues to gain attention, debate can be dull and limited to only a few main issues.
  • Parties that rely on wealthy individuals and organisations for funding may be influenced by these people. Poorer groups left unrepresented and powerless.
  • parties are scandalous when members have been found to be subject to abuse, bullying, sexual, racial and homophobic discrimination or harassment.
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