Political Parties Flashcards
(14 cards)
What’s the function of political parties
- policy formulation
- representation
- participation
- organisation of gov
Supporting Democracy : policy formation
- major parties create competing policy ensure the electorate have meaningful choice = Con “get brexit done” 74% of leave voters Labour wanted to give the people the final say on Brexit 48% remain voters
- manifestos five the electorate something to hold parties accountable
Hindering democracy : policy formation
- Major parties dominate by winning over 80% of the seats in general elections, further limiting voter choice = con 42% and labour 32% of vote 2019
- Parties often now react to public opinion rather than shape it, in order to be seen as the best “team” to run the country
=May was in support of Cameron’s remain campaign
Supporting Democracy : choosing leaders
- Parties control the process for choosing candidates who stand in elections
- Running constituency parties allow future leaders to understand their party better, and grow their skills to progress up the party
Hindering democracy : choosing leaders
membership is now vital for all major parties in selecting their leader = Party members make up around 2% of the population
– Truss’s tax policies meant the membership chose her as leader for their gains rather than to benefit the country in 2022, undermining democracy
Supports democracy : organisation of gov
- Government controls the legislative agenda in Parliament and the vast majority of bills passed are from the government – giving the governing party control = 2019 con maj of 80, 2001 lab maj of 166
- Opposition parties have an important role in scrutiny and must provide ‘governments in waiting
- FPTP usually makes single party gov
Hinders Democracy : organisation of gov
Parties with deeply divided factions in them create problems when in government as the factions don’t always work together = Mays divided Gov 2017-2019 33 defeats
supporting democracy : participation
- Opportunities to become a member of a party boost involvement in the political process = Con 172,000 Lab 432,000 LibDems 74,000 1.5% of the electorate in 2013 was 0.8
- Parties have an important role in raising political awareness and education and giving people the opportunity to identify with a party that shares similar ideas to them
Hindering Democracy : Participation
Parties’ ability to encourage and motivate political participation has been questioned
1. Partisan dealignment – voters less likely to identify with and vote for a single party 9% associated themselves strongly with a political party in 2015 - turnout less predictable
2. party membership declining
3. Constituency parties arguably have less control over election campaigns - social media taken over this role
Supports democracy - Representation
Parties historically represent certain groups in society - labour working class con upper/ middle
Parties now try to be ‘catch-all’ and appeal to the majority of the electorate
Hinder democracy - representation
- parties have less of an ability to represent specific groups, these groups in society may now have weaker ties to parties and feel less represented
- Pressure groups have increased, and undertaken part of the representation function that parties used to fulfil
Thatcherism “New Right”
-Thatcher’s leadership in 1979, and initiated a series of reforms
-characterised by privatisation (priv companies running previously state-owned industry and services),
-reduced trade union power (striking was made more difficult)
- low taxation (income tax was lowered in favour of more ‘indirect’ taxation- e.g. through VAT)
-market deregulation (removing controls and restrictions on the economy).
-minimal state in the economic realm However, in people’s social lives, more state involvement was thought necessary to re-establish the morals and sensibilities of a previous era.
-Thatcherism is tough on law and order (harsh punishments to deter criminals)
-promoted traditional values (Christian or family values)
-promoted national identity (seen as a source of stability).
One Nation
-advocates for the importance of a society working together as part of one nation
-developed to respond to the challenges of socialism, class conflict and free-market capitalism
-ruling elite to govern in the best interests of the wider population, arguing it was in the collective interests of everyone = paternalism
-ruling class had an obligation to look out for the lower classes to provide social stability
-importance of the individual and therefore, oppose the state interfering in the lives of its citizens.
New Labour
-balance between neoliberal Thatcherism and social democracy
-support for a market economy, allowing for constitutional reform
-reimagining the welfare system (e.g. welfare to work)
