Political Parties and Party Systems

Question 1

what are three problems with political parties?

Answer 1

-Ideological resistance of the role of political parties in the world
-Contemporary democracies and their performance is criticised because of the performance of political parties
-Emergence of new democracies in the 3rd wave

Question 2

what is meant by “Ideological resistance of the role of political parties in the world”?

Answer 2

“We should minimise the role of political parties in politics”

Question 3

Why did the Founding Fathers oppose establishing political parties?

Answer 3

-they saw them as decisive organisations against the public interests

-they believed that American MPs should serve the general will of the people, not the parties

Question 4

what is meant by “Contemporary democracies and their performance is criticised because of the performance of political parties”?

Answer 4

elitism, corruption, embezzlement, incompetence, etc.

Question 5

what is meant by “Emergence of new democracies in the 3rd wave”?

Answer 5

the role of political parties were not strong in new democracies (they look like but don’t function like political parties)

Question 6

what are the three functions of political parties?

Answer 6

1. Parties in the electorate
2. Parties as organisations
3. Parties in government

Question 7

what is meant by “parties in the electorate” as a function?

Answer 7

mobilisation, representation, and education of citizens (about politics)

Question 8

what is meant by “parties as organisations” as a function?

Answer 8

recruitment and training of political elites, articulation and aggregation of political interests

Question 9

what is meant by “parties in government” as a function?

Answer 9

organisation and coordination of parliament and government

Question 10

should parties have monopolies?

Answer 10

no, parties should not have monopolies, as “partocracy” rarerly works well

Question 11

what are the important questions that need to be asked about the features of party organisations?

Answer 11

Where was the party formed?
How is the party organised?
Who are the party members?
Who pays for the party activities?

Question 12

what are the different types of parties?

Answer 12

1. Cadre Parties
2. Mass parties
3. Catch-All parties
4. Cartel parties
5. Business-firm & Entrepreneurial Parties

Question 13

what are Cadre Parties?

Answer 13

-parliamentary origin
-small organisation
-members are elites
-personal donations

Question 14

what is one example of a Cadre Party?

Answer 14

The Whigs (UK)

Question 15

what are Mass Parties?

Answer 15

-extra-parliamentary origin
-large intensive organisation
-homogeneous membership
-membership fees

Question 16

what is one example of a Mass Party?

Answer 16

Labour Party (UK)

Question 17

what are Catch-All Parties?

Answer 17

-evolution of existing parties
-large professional organisation
-heterogeneous membership
-private/corporate donations

Question 18

what is one example of a Catch-All Party?

Answer 18

CDU (Germany)

Question 19

what are Cartel Parties?

Answer 19

-evolution of existing parties
-professional organisation
-small membership
-state subsidies

Question 20

what is one example of a Cartel Party?

Answer 20

PSOE (Spain)

Question 21

what are Business-firm & Entrepreneurial Parties?

Answer 21

-extra-parliamentary or parliamentary origin
-minimal organisation
-minimal membership
-corporate money & state subsidies

Question 22

what is one example of a Business-firm & Entrepreneurial Party?

Answer 22

Forza Italia (Italy)

Question 23

until the 1960s, which party type was the most popular?

Answer 23

Mass Parties

Question 24

what are the different types of party systems?

Answer 24

1. Two party systems
2. Multi-party systems
3. Party systems with dominant parties

Question 25

what are the different sub-types of Multi-party systems?

Answer 25

1. Multi-party systems with alternating coalitions
2. Multi-party systems with shifting coalitions
3. Polarised Multi-party systems

Question 26

what are some characteristics of Two-party systems?

Answer 26

-two major parties
-single party governments
-%100 alternation in government (one party fully replaces another)
-elections are decisive

Question 27

what are some example countries with a Two-party system?

Answer 27

United States, United Kingdom

Question 28

What are some characteristics of Multi-party systems?

Answer 28

-multiple major parties
-coalition governments
-lack of full alternation in government

Question 29

what are Multi-party systems with alternating coalitions ?

Answer 29

-more than two major parties
-%100 alternation in government (one government fully replaces another)
-elections are decisive

Question 30

what are some example countries with a Multi-party system with alternating coalitions?

Answer 30

France, Sweden, Germany

Question 31

what are Multi-party systems with shifting coalitions?

Answer 31

-more than two major parties
-partial alternation in government
-elections are not decisive

Question 32

what are some example countries with a Multi-party system with shifting coalitions?

Answer 32

Netherlands, Belgium

Question 33

what are Polarised Multi-party systems?

Answer 33

-more than two major parties
-no alternation in government
-elections do not matter

Question 34

what are some example countries with a Polarised Multi-party system?

Answer 34

Italy until 1993, Weimar Republic

Question 35

what are party systems with dominant parties?

Answer 35

-one party controls parliament/government
-no alternations in government
-elections are not decisive

Question 36

what are some example countries with a party system with dominant parties?

Answer 36

South Africa, Botswana

Question 37

why do these different party systems emerge? what are their two main origins?

Answer 37

1. how democracy first emerged in that country
2. how many cleavages a country has

Question 38

why do party systems evolve into different types?

Answer 38

1. political system collapses (Italy 1993)
2. electoral system changes (France 1958)
3. new political alliances form