2. Political parties

Question 1

Order : Conservatism, Fascism, Liberalism, Socialism, Communism, Conservatism, from left to right

Answer 1

1. Communism
2. Socialsim
3. Liberlism
4. Conservatism
5. Fascism

Question 2

What does the left wing favour?

Answer 2

• Favors nationalization of public services
• Large state intervention in social and economic policy
• Greater eqaulity

Question 3

What does the centre favour?

Answer 3

• Favors less state innervation
• But some regulation from the governement on key polices

Question 4

What does the right wing favour?

Answer 4

• Favors privatization of some public service
• Lessened stae intervention in social and economic policy
• Greater personal autonomy

Question 5

What is the horse shoe theory?

Answer 5

Asserts the idea that the far right is more similar to the far left than to the center right and vice versa

Question 6

Libertarian

Answer 6

The rights of the indiviudal are favored over the state

Question 7

Authoritarian

Answer 7

Government requires a strict obedience to the authority of the state

Question 8

What is a political spectrum?

Answer 8

• A way of seeing differing political views in relation to on another
• These can be mapped across one or more axes

Question 9

Functions of political parties : Making policy

Answer 9

• Important when a party is in opposition and is seeking to replace the current government
• The policy making function of the ruling party is the same as the policy making function of the government
• Involves political leaders as well as civil servants, advisory units, commites and private advisors (most policy making in the ruling party is done by ministers and their advisers)
• In opposition the leadership of the party is not in such a pre eminent policy making position
• The policy main functions is also known as aggregation and involves identifying the wide range of demands made on political system
• Aggregation is normally undertaken by the party leadership group as they will most likely be the people who become ministers

Question 10

Functions of political parties : Representation

Answer 10

• Parties claim to have a representive function and in past claimed to represent a specific section of society
• UK labour party in the early 20th centuary - Working classes and union members
  
  • Conservative party of the 19th centuary - Gentry and aristocracy
  • However this has changed in a contemporary UK as all of the main poltical parties represent the national intrest
  • Populist parties tend to emerge rapidly and represent people who feel they have been ignored by conventional parties and these are often play on people dissatisfaction and fears being popular in low income communites
    Populist movement are often defined by what they are opposed to eg. Anti big government, anti taxation , anti big bussiness and anti established government