Politcal Parties Flashcards
What are the features of political parties?
Members of the party share similar political views and values
Parties seek either to secure the election of their candidates as representatives or to form the government at various levels
Have some kind of organisation that develops policy, recruits candidates and identifies leaders
Formal membership
Manage elections
Internally democratic as members choose officials and make decisions
What are the functions of political parties?
Making policies
Representation
Selecting candidates
Identifying leaders
Contesting elections
Political education
Reinforcing consent
How are parties funded?
Membership fees
Donations from supporters
Loans from wealthy individuals and banks
Self financing candidates
Fundraising events
Short money, Cranborne money (from the electoral commission)
What is short money?
Money given to the party in opposition
What is Cranborne money?
Money for the House of Lords
How much money can the electoral commission give each party?
£2 million
Why is party funding controversial?
Smaller parties have an irregular income (idealism over influence)
Great are reliance on rich benefactors as memberships decline
Large donors- unaccountable influence
“Cash for honours”- undermine reputation of political process
Conservatives attractive wealthier individuals so they’d receive more donations (quantity)
What does the Electoral Commission do?
They uphold democracy
Checks and investigates donations
Limits Parliamentary election expenditure
Declare all donations over £500
All donations over £7500 goes on an electoral register for all to see
What are some of the arguments for the state funding of parties?
Parties play an important role in representative democracy so deserve public funding
It would stop the possibly corrupt influence of private backers on party policy
Smaller parties have a chance of competing against larger ones
Might encourage participation by the public and recruitment to the parties
Would remove the disparity in resources available to different parties
What are some arguments against the state funding of parties?
Hard to decide how much support a party should have to qualify for funding
Public funding could isolate or distance parties from the wishes of their members
Taxpayers would resent compulsory contributions to parties of which they disapprove
Reduces parties’ independence
What was the ‘one nation’ conservatism?
Paternalistic approach that the rich have an obligation to help the poor (started by Benjamin Disraeli, carried on by David Cameron and Theresa May)
What was ‘Thatcherism’?
Two elements- neo (new) conservatives who want the state to take a more authoritarian approach and the non liberals who endorse the free market approach and the rolling back of the state in people’s lies and businesses
What were the principles of the ‘one nation’ conservatism?
There is a strong law and order to control society
Preservation of tradition
Theory of noblesse oblige (those higher standing have an obligation to help those or lower standing)
Pragmatic rather than ideological response to issues
Faith in property and home ownership as a way to create an ordered society
The rich and poor help each other
What were the principles ideas of neo liberalism?
State should disengage from political management
High taxation
Welfare and benefits are detrimental
Don’t use trade unions
Little state intervention
What are some of the key principles if neo conservatism?
‘Traditional’ values
Harsh punishment and strong forces for law and order
Distrust of multinational organisations (e.g. EU or UN)- example= BREXIT
Nationalism
