The role of political parties
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context
In the modern age where all adults can vote, the need for political parties has arisen from the need to mobilise consent within a mass electorate.
\n Before universal suffrage, PP was not needed as HoC did not represent ordinary citizens of the UK, no need to mobilise their consent/support.
\n Functions of PP strongly influenced by western political culture that is characterised as liberal democracy.
\n Before universal suffrage, PP was not needed as HoC did not represent ordinary citizens of the UK, no need to mobilise their consent/support.
\n Functions of PP strongly influenced by western political culture that is characterised as liberal democracy.
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Functions of political parties: representation
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* Representation function is to represent people who share a certain set of beliefs (‘bridge to gov’)
* Right wing = tory
* Left wing = labour
* All parties compete for public office through free elections
* Electorate vote for party rather than individual candidate who is standing
* Result of election based on who secures majority votes, therefore representative of the majority of the constituency.
* Representation function is to represent people who share a certain set of beliefs (‘bridge to gov’)
* Right wing = tory
* Left wing = labour
* All parties compete for public office through free elections
* Electorate vote for party rather than individual candidate who is standing
* Result of election based on who secures majority votes, therefore representative of the majority of the constituency.
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Functions of political parties: recruitment of leaders
Parties normally supply the leading politicians in liberal democratic systems.
* Political leaders are almost always people who have devoted most of their adult lives to their parties.
* Political leaders are almost always people who have devoted most of their adult lives to their parties.
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Functions of political parties: government
Organised parties help to secure a stable government.
* They exert discipline over their reps at a national/local level, usually voting for their party's policies when they have serious doubts on specific issues.
* Voters expect the manifesto of the elected gov to be implemented.
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The official opposition acts as an alternative gov for people who disagree with the view of the government when the gov loses the confidence of the public.
* Hold the prime minister to account
* Party who have 2nd highest number of seats in HoC.
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PMs who lose confidence in their party can be removed.
* e.g Thatcher resigned 1990 after her party withdrew their support & was then replaced with Major.
* New PM chosen by party not public
* They exert discipline over their reps at a national/local level, usually voting for their party's policies when they have serious doubts on specific issues.
* Voters expect the manifesto of the elected gov to be implemented.
\
The official opposition acts as an alternative gov for people who disagree with the view of the government when the gov loses the confidence of the public.
* Hold the prime minister to account
* Party who have 2nd highest number of seats in HoC.
\
PMs who lose confidence in their party can be removed.
* e.g Thatcher resigned 1990 after her party withdrew their support & was then replaced with Major.
* New PM chosen by party not public
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Functions of political parties: policy formulation
Parties offer voters a choice between competing policy programmes in their manifestos.
* Programme must be broadly accepted by party members, and will normally give internal consultation before the manifesto is published.
* Successful parties can claim they have secured a mandate from the people to put policy ideas into action.
* Programme must be broadly accepted by party members, and will normally give internal consultation before the manifesto is published.
* Successful parties can claim they have secured a mandate from the people to put policy ideas into action.
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Functions of political parties: participation & mobilisation
* Votes don’t directly participate in the law-making process.
* Main political parties have local orgs in every constituency providing citizens with opportunities to join/make their ideas known on a regular basis.
* All parties have procedures that involve members in selecting candidates to stand for local/national elections, choosing party leader e.g 2015 Corbyn.
* Participation can be: voting, joining a party/campaign.
* Allows citizens to express preference for one kind of society rather than another
* Parties and represents classes, ethnic groups, regions, economic interest.
* Main political parties have local orgs in every constituency providing citizens with opportunities to join/make their ideas known on a regular basis.
* All parties have procedures that involve members in selecting candidates to stand for local/national elections, choosing party leader e.g 2015 Corbyn.
* Participation can be: voting, joining a party/campaign.
* Allows citizens to express preference for one kind of society rather than another
* Parties and represents classes, ethnic groups, regions, economic interest.