Topic 5 - Political Institutions

What is a Political Party? - A political party is a group of people organised to win government power, by electoral or other means.

Political parties seek power through elections or other methods, operating as intricate organizations with shared identities and similar perspectives. They've become integral to mass politics, evolving alongside representative government and expanding voting rights since the 19th century.

Characteristics of Political Parties

• Parties aim to exercise government power by winning political office

• They adopt a broad issue focus, addressing each of the major areas of Government policy.

• Parties are united by shared political preferences and a general ideological identity.

Theories of Political Party Origin

• Institutional Theory - This theory emphasizes the link between early legislatures and the emergence of political parties. Parties developed alongside national parliaments and the expanding electorate, originating from the necessity felt by assembly members to unite and act collectively.

• Historical-Situation Theory - This theory highlights how political parties emerged during historical crises in political systems. These crises shaped the initial emergence of parties and significantly influenced their subsequent evolution.

Two significant political crises are legitimacy and integration. A) The legitimacy crisis arises when established structures of authority fail during a crisis, resulting in political upheaval. B) The integration crisis prompts the formation of political parties, like the Muslim League in India, aimed at safeguarding specific population segments, such as the minority Muslim community.

Functions of Political Parties - Representation, Elite Formation & Recruitment, Goal Formulation, Interest Articulation and Aggregation, Socialization and Mobilization & Organization of Government.

Representation: Parties respond to and express the views of members and voters, best achieved in an open, competitive system that brings together like-minded individuals.

Elite formation and recruitment: Parties groom political leaders, offering training, skills, and a career path.

Goal formulation: Parties create programs to attract popular support, serving as a major source of policy initiation.

Interest articulation and aggregation: Parties articulate and combine diverse societal interests to develop collective goals.

Socialization and mobilization: Parties educate and mobilize through internal debates, campaigning, and being a key platform for political discussions.

Organization of government: Parties offer stability and coherence in government, with a single-party government fostering unity, while parties in competitive systems provide essential opposition and critique both in and out of government.

Types of Political Parties

Political parties fall into three main types:

1. Elite parties are formed internally by specific groups within an assembly. Examples include the early Conservative parties in Canada and the UK.

2. Mass parties originate externally, emerging from groups outside the assembly striving for representation in the legislature. Working-class parties worldwide exemplify this type.

3. Catch-All parties are a more contemporary form. They respond to mobilized political systems, focusing on technical governance and electoral communication through mass media. These parties aim to seek electoral support broadly and prioritize governance over representation.

Party systems are often categorized based on the number of parties vying for power. The main types include:

1. One-party systems: Where a single party monopolizes political power.

2. Two-party systems: Involving competition between two major parties for governance.

3. Dominant-party systems: Where one party holds a significant advantage despite the existence of other parties.

4. Multi-party systems: Featuring multiple parties competing for power, with no single party consistently dominating the political landscape.

Here's a breakdown of different party systems:

1. One-party system: This system is dominated by a single party that holds absolute power. Political opposition is banned, and the ruling party's position is legally secured. It often leads to autocratic or dictatorial governance.

2. Two-party system: Two major parties share equal prospects of winning government power. Key criteria include both parties having significant electoral strength, with power alternating between them.

3. Dominant-party system: Only one party realistically competes for government control because other parties lack sufficient strength. While other parties may exist, they don't have a realistic chance of winning.

4. Multi-party system: Characterized by competition among multiple parties, reducing the likelihood of single-party government and increasing the possibility of coalitions. Coalitions are formed when political actors recognize a common threat or the need to achieve shared goals through collaboration.

Civil Society: Civil society comprises voluntary civic and social organizations, forming the basis of a functional society. It's an arena of collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, distinct from state-backed structures.

Interest Groups: These are organizations aiming to influence public bodies' policies, distinct from political parties. They use various methods:

• Informing legislators about their members' preferences.

• Contributing money or time to election campaigns.

• Voting as a unified bloc.

• Assisting in legislation drafting.

• Influencing members of the executive branch.

Arguments in Favor of Interest Groups:

• Strengthening representation by advocating ignored interests.

• Promoting debate and informed electorate for better policies.

• Broadening political participation beyond conventional party politics.

• Checking government power, defending liberty, and maintaining stability through communication channels.

Arguments Against Interest Groups:

• They might represent powerful minority interests over the majority.

• Socially divisive, prioritizing minority concerns.

• Exercising non-legitimate power without public accountability.

• Direct action causing community hardship.

Resources and Tactics: Interest groups utilize public support, membership size, financial strength, and organizational capabilities. Their tactics depend on the channel of access:

• Bureaucracy

• Legislature

• Courts

• Political Parties

• Mass Media

• Supranational Bodies