The Funding of Political Parties/Factionalism

Question 1

Why should parties be state-funded?

Answer 1

• Donations from businesses/wealthy individuals/trade unions leads to corruption. Wealthy donors expect ‘favours’ – e.g. seats in the Lords, influence over policies. State funding reduces scope for corruption
• The private system benefits the wealthy. Can Tailor policies/laws to attract/reward rich donors. Democracy benefits rich over poor. State funding diminishes this/offers more to the poorer sections of society.
• More equal funding of parties. So could concentrate on policies that attract all voters, not just wealthy. Better campaigns, voters have more choice. Parties chosen according to quality of policy, rather than better funded campaigns

Question 2

What are the criticisms of state funding?

Answer 2

• Taxpayers will fund parties through compulsory state funding, (small increases). Taxpayers funding parties they oppose to e.g. far left or far right parties, and be angry.
• State funding based on success in recent elections (votes and seats) guaranteed funding makes parties complacent and unresponsive. Less want to attract members/voters, and respond to beliefs of electorate. (However, party competition)
• Benefits existing parties already winning votes and seats. Difficult for new parties to break into this protected political world. (same criticism made of existing system). But, new parties emerging across Europe so may be poor argument.
• Diminish importance of individuals choosing how to spend their money politically, e.g. on merit, ideology or personal preference. Private donors choose where to donate, whereas taxpayers are forced to fund all recently elected parties.

Question 3

Why hasn’t state funding been introduced?

Answer 3

• although parties receive limited funding from the state (Short payments), present system remains dominant, as two main parties disagree on which donations should be restricted. Labour want to protect trade unions payment, whilst Conservatives oppose this. Labour want to reduce the influence of wealthy individuals and companies, but the Conservatives want to keep this advantage.

Question 4

What is Factionalism?

Answer 4

• a group forming a cohesive, possibly contentious minority, within a larger group.
• Individuals within a faction are united in a common goal/goals for their party, not shared by all members. Band together to achieve said goals
• “party within a party”. All three parties are ‘broad churches’ – a necessity for winning elections under FPTP.
• Conservatives – New Right (Thatcherism), One-Nation Conservatives
• Labour – Old Labour/Social Democrats, Third Way/New Labour
• Liberal Democrats – Modern Liberals, Classical Liberals
• Conservatives recently been Populist in their approach (under Johnson) and Labour tried to appeal to moderate Conservatives, largely abandoned Old Labour socialism.