Party Systems Flashcards
What is a one-party system?
only 1 party allowed to operate
associated with highly authoritarian regimes-not democratic
dictatorship
What is a dominant-party system?
Only 1 party has a credible chance to be in power
There is lack of accountability and competition
What is a two-party system?
Only 2 parties have a realistic chance of forming a gov
2 parties win the vast majority of the votes
Duopoly
What is a three-party system?
2 dominant and 1 smaller
What is a multi-party system?
several parties competing for votes and power
tend to be less stable
common in Europe
During most of 20th c what was British politics dominated by?
Political duopoly as a result of class-based voting
What system makes it hard for minority parties to gain power?
FPTP
in 1983 what was the vote share and seats for LP and the Liberals?
LP 27.6% 209 MPS
L 25.4% 23 MPs
Where do minority parties find success?
local elections more multiparty
When did 2 party dominance at Westminster begin to be challenged?
1980s when the Social Democrat Party was established, 1988 LDs
In 2024 what % of vote and how many seats did the LDs win?
12% with 72 seats won
What else has facilitated the decline of the duopoly?
Partisan dealignment
Which party achieved its electoral breakthrough in 2015 GE?
SNP following its high profile campaign in 2014 Scottish independence referendum
In 2015 what % of vote and how many seats did the SNPs win?
50% vote in Scotland
56 seats in Westminster
What suggests that the UK has now entered a two-and-a-half party model at Westminster?
Lib Dem coalition and SNP breakthrough in 2015
What suggests there’s still a duopoly?
2017 SNP lost 21 seats and LP and CP secured their highest share of the popular vote since 1970 GE
What was the vote share and number of seats for SNP in 2019 and 2024?
2019 45% in Scotland 48 MPs
2024 3% in Scotland 9 MPs
In 2024 what was the vote share and number of seats won by Reform?
14% 5 seats
In 2024 what was the vote share and number of seats won by LDs?
12% 72 seats
In 2024 what was the vote share and number of seats won by GP?
7% 4 seats
What do regional assemblies encourage?
multiparty democracy
Where are multi-party systems the norm?
Devolved regions where proportional representation systems are used
Has the UK now become a multiparty democracy? YES
-devolved assemblies, power shared by more than 2 parties. Since 2007 SNP has either governed as a single party or with other political parties
-Lib Dem coalition 2010, 2017 DUP CP support
-UKIP won only 1 seat in 2015 but shifted CP in a more Eurosceptic direction, GP influenced environmentally aware policies
Has the UK now become a multiparty democracy? NO
-every GE since 1992 most seats always LP/CP
-2019 89% parliamentary seats won by CP/LP
-Supports for LD collapsed and 2019 only 11 seats
-FPTP protects LP/CP duopoly
-Party funding
