political parties Flashcards
features and functions
A political party is an organisation of people with similar political values and views which develops a set of goals that it seeks to convert into political action by obtaining government office.
making policy
Parties generate policies that embody the ideas for which they stand. The process of converting policies into practical programmes is known as aggregation.
Representation
parties seek to ensure that all groups in society have their interests considered by government. Tend to be biased towards a particular group.
Selecting Candidates
find prospective candidates at regional and national level.
Identifying leaders: choosing party leaders essential means picking government ministers.
Organising elections
publishing election issues, persuading people to vote, informing people about candidates.
Political education
Becoming less important as media takes over this role
Reinforcing consent: hidden function. Liberal doctrine.
liberal democrats
Core values: liberty (freedom), social justice, welfare, constitutionalism (limited government), social reform, concerned with human rights and democracy, multiculturalism, environment.
policies
law and order for rehabilitation, stay in the EU, increase welfare spending, support NATO, abandon Trident nuclear system, reform house of Lords, further devolution to scotland and wales etc. environmentalism, social justice through reduced taxation on low income families and higher taxes for the wealthy.
funding methods
Collecting membership subscriptions from members.
Holding fundraising events such as fetes, festivals, conferences, and dinners
Receiving donations from supporters
Raising loans from wealthy individuals or banks.
The self-financing of candidates for office
Up to £2 million per party from electoral commission.
funding controversy
Small parties disadvantaged.
Funding by large donors hidden and unaccountable form of political influence. (Cons £11m from Finance 2015 - 17/ Lab £657,702 from trade union Unite 2017))
Aspects of funding verge on corruption, e.g. cash for honors.
Decline of party membership means more reliant on donors.
funding - state funding
For: end opportunities for the corrupt use of donations, end hidden influence, reduce financial advantage of larger parties, encourage wider participation of groups without source of funding.
Against: taxpayers object to paying for private organisations, difficult to distribute funding, parties may lose independence, excessive regulation of parties.
funding other alternatives
Impose restrictions on the size of individual donations to parties (USA style). To be effective cap would need to be low.
Impose tight restrictions on how much parties are allowed to spend. This would make large-scale fundraising futile.
Restrict donations to individuals i.e. outlaw donations from business/ trade unions.
conservative-origins
Originally royalists who supported monarchy. After industrial revolution they represented land owners. Best understood by knowing its two main traditions.
conservative - traditional
C18th. Reaction against liberal ideas of French Rev.
Views: Pessimistic view of human nature, people crave order and security, preservation of tradition of institutions and values to maintain order as these have ‘stood the test of time’, ‘one nationism’ to avoid conflict between middle and working classes, pragmatism, property ownership.
conservatives - new right
1970s and 80s (Thatcher), Combination of two aspects.
Neoliberalism: no state interference in economy, free markets, reduce power of trade unions, welfare bad for economy as it establishes ‘dependency culture’, high taxation is a disincentive to economic activity.
Neoconservatism: small but strong state, strict attitude to morality and lifestyle, traditional values, law and order crucial to maintaining security, nationalistic, suspicious of multinational associations such as the EU.
labour origins
Created in 1900 as an offshoot of the trade union movement. Originally known for its democratic socialism that aimed to achieve socialist values through democracy.
labour old labour
Values: equality, see society in terms of class conflict, equality of opportunity, collectivism (goals best achieved collectively), common ownership, trade unionism, state should play a major role, welfare is important.
Policies: NHS 1940s, Trade Unions granted powers, nationalisation of major industries, taxes on those with high incomes, comprehensive education 1960s, outlawed discrimination 1960s and 70s.
labour new labour
1990s/ 2000s (Blair)
Values: reject class conflict, accepted capitalism is best way of creating wealth, enabling state to protect interests of consumers, recognised individualism as a fundamental aspect of human nature, equality of opportunity, emphasise the value of community, political and constitutional reform.
Policies: increase NHS spending, increase education investment, reduce corporate taxation, extensive constitutional reform including HRA and Freedom of information act , policies to reduce poverty, welfare to work system introduced
n. minor parties
Until mid 1990s the UK system was dominated by two parties lab and con. FPTP made it difficult for other parties to have an impact, however recently other parties have impacted policies without winning seats.
SNP: rise of SNP has forced all major parties to support further devolution to Scotland and they accomplished an independence referendum in 2014.
UKIP: major factor in the referendum on UK membership of the EU as they had taken voters away from the major parties. Forced conservatives to announce immigration targets.
Greens: Slow rise of the Green Party has been a factor in all the main parties adopting more radical policies on environmental protection, notably, emissions control
