political parties 2.4

Question 1

What is a party system?

Answer 1

How parties within a political system operate according to the structures of the system and how it functions.

Question 2

What is a one-party system?

Answer 2

Only one party allowed to operate - highly authoritative regimes and not very democratic.

Question 3

What is a dominant-party system?

Answer 3

Allow partied to operate freely but realistically only one party has a chance of taking government.

Question 4

What is a two-party system?

Answer 4

Two parties have a realistic chance of forming government.

Question 5

What is a three-party system?

Answer 5

Rare to find a system where three parties compete on equal terms, usually the third party is smaller.
one of the larger parties makes a coalition with the smaller party. Sometimes the third party has too much power.

Question 6

What is a multi-party system?

Answer 6

Several parties competing for votes - more than three parties. Tend to be less stable.

Question 7

What is a two-and-a-half party system?

Answer 7

Dominated by 2 parties, yet a third party achieves significance. Often the third party’s ideologies are a convergence of the two main parties.

Question 8

Example of two-and-a-half party system in the UK?

Answer 8

Coalition government 2010-2015.

Question 9

Example of multi-party system in the UK?

Answer 9

Devolved governments and assemblies since 1997 have created coalition governments, for example in Ireland. A cause of PR systems.

Question 10

Example of two-party system in the UK?

Answer 10

Westminster 1945-1970, caused by FPTP, Duverger’s Law -Single member simple plurality systems will always favour two parties while the double ballot majority systems and proportional representation tend to favour multipartism.

Question 11

How does Leadership effect party success

Answer 11

Voters look for leadership experience, decisiveness, intelligence and apparent honesty.

Question 12

How does unity effect party success?

Answer 12

Disunity - very unlikely to win an election.

Blair - New Labour was very united and Blair became the most successful Prime Minister in history winning e elections.

Question 13

How can the media effect party success?

Answer 13

Using the media parties have the ability ro persuade or sway the views of the electorate.
More media coverage increases chances of getting your party’s voice heard.
The performance of government in the media and the policies of the opposition can often determine the outcome of the election.