Political parties Flashcards
What is a political party?
An organisation of people with similar political values or views, which develops a set of goals or policies that it seeks to develop into political action by obtaining government office, or a share in government, or by influencing the government currently in power
In what ways could a political party pursue its goals?
- Mobilising public opinion in its favour
- Selecting appropriate candidates for office
- Competing at elections
- Identifying suitable leaders
List some of the typical variations in the features of parties
- Some parties have mass membership, while others have a small leadership group that seek supporters rather than followers
- Some may be highly organised while others may have a structure that is more informal and loose
- Some parties are united around a narrow section of ideas and beliefs, whereas others can have a broader set of policies covering the entirety of society, which can often cause parties like this to divide into factions
- Some parties seek power while others seek only influence, as they know obtaining government office is not a realistic aim
What is a policy?
A set of intentions or a political programme set up by a party or government, they will often reflect their political stance
What happens when a party controls government?
Its leadership effectively becomes the government, and there is little distinction between the two. This means the policy making function of the party and the government are identical
Political leaders are not the only group responsible for coming up with policy. Who else is involved?
civil servants, advisory units and comittees and private advisors
Which groups have a more soft influence on policy?
Backbench MPs, peers, local activists and party members all have some say through conferences and committees
Who has the most influence over policy in an opposition party and how?
The general membership. They can use committees and conferences to communicate to leadership which ideas they would like to see become official party policy that could therefore become government policy one day. This occurs at a national, regional and local level
Define aggregation
The policy formulating function is sometimes referred to as aggregation. Its the process of converting policies, demands and ideas into practical policy programmes for government. This involves eliminating contradictions and making compromises. it tends to be undertaken by leadership and those hoping to one day become ministers
Define populism
A political movement and way of campaigning that appeals to people’s emotions and prejudices by telling them what they want to hear. It tends to find support among groups who feel their concerns have been ignored by more established groups. A reactionary movement that seeks to go back to a more popular idea of the past, rather than a progressive movemnet looking for change. UKIP and Trump have been standout examples of recent populism
Give an example of a party that claims to represent a specific section of society?
Labour and the working class
Why has the idea that parties represent specific sections of society largely disappeared?
Because all the major parties have started to claim that they act in the national interest
What does it mean to say that a party has a representative function?
They make sure that all sections of society have their demands considered by the government.
Describe the lifespan of populist parties
They tend to emerge rapidly and disappear equally quickly
Where do populist movements generally take root?
Amongst the poor, as they are more likely to feel left behind
