Function of political parties - participation and mobilisation

Educative function

• Parties have an educative function all year round

• Inform citizens about political issues and then outline their solutions

  • Esp for those that are not directly affected by the issues

• Educate the public about how the political system works

Examples of political parties educating the population

• Green party

  • Awareness of environmental issues

• UKIP

  • Awareness of the role and position of the EU

• Labour

  • Awareness of low pay, 0 hour contracts, funding of the bedroom tax

Partisan dealignment

• Process by which individuals no longer long-term identify with a particular party

Mandate

• Instruction or command that gives authority to a body to act in a certain way

  • Mandate confers legitimacy on a political actor

Catch-all party

• Party that develops widely-appealing policies (contrast to ideological parties)

Current role of parties in participation and mobilisation

• Less significant

  • Has been taken over by the internet, media, think tanks, pressure groups and social media

• Parties do coherently present the electorate with clear choices