Lecture 6 Flashcards
1
Q
Functions of Political Parties
A
- Parties in electorate: mobilize, represent and educate citizens.
- Parties as organizations: recruit and train future political leaders, and articulate and aggregate political interests.
- Parties in government: organize and coordinate parliament and government.
2
Q
Features of party organizations
A
- Origin of party organization (where was the party formed)
- Character of party organization (how is the party organized)
- nature of party membership (who are the members)
- Primary resource base (who pays for the party activities)
3
Q
Two party systems
A
- Single-party government
- Alternation in office (either Labour, or Conservative)
- Centripetal competition (focus on middle ground)
- Stability
4
Q
Multi party systems
A
- Coalition government
- Lack of alternation
- Centrifugal competition
- Instability
5
Q
Why do party different party systems emerge
A
In countries with one political cleavage, you get a two-party system. In countries with more political cleavages, you will get a multi-party system
6
Q
Why does a party system evolve to another type
A
- Political crisis
- Changes in the electoral system
- Emergence of new political alliance