Types of political systems Flashcards
(41 cards)
Examples of UK Mainstream parties?
Labour, Conservates, Lib-dems
What is a Nationalist Party?
-Nurture the shared cultural identity and language of a certain geographical area
(UKIP, BNP, Plaid Cymru
What is a Single issue party? Examples?
- Policies rooted in a political ideological perspective
- Green party
What do political parties do? (4)
- To contest elections with a view to securing control of government
- Offer members an input in key decisions
- Open membership structures
- Offer a broad portfolio of policies
What is a one- party system?Examples (2)?
- One party dominates, bans other parties. Enjoys a monopoly of power
- Exercises total control
- Nazi germany
- North Korea
What is a dominant party system? Examples?
- Number of parties but only one is likely to achieve absolute majority and hold government power
- Japan under the Liberal Democratic Party 1955-1993
- African National Congress
What is a multiparty system (4 points)? (examples x3)
- Many parties compete for power
- Common in european countries
- coalitions
- eg. italy 1945-1993 , finland, belgium
- not clear between government and opposition
- common where systems of proportional representation are present
What is a Two party system?
2 fairly equally parties compete for power at elections and others have little realistic chance of breaking their duopoly
-common in countries with FPTP systems
In 2010 how many voters backed the ‘big two’?
34.9%
What 5 main roles do political parties perform?
- Presenting Representation
- Facilitating political Partcipation
- Engaging in political recruitment
- Formulating policy
- Providing stable government
What are the 4 advantages of a two party system?
- Promotes effective, stable, and strong government
- Simplifies voter choice
- Goverment is clearly accountable for the electorate
- Moderation is encouraged
What are the 3 disadvantages of a two party system?
- It restricts voter choice
- Far from promoting moderation, it can sometimes be characterised by adversary politics.
- Growing dissatisfaction with the performance of the main parties
what is an example of a ‘predominant party system’?
The conservatives won four consecutive elections followed by labour winning three consecutive elections.
What is an example of a ‘two-and-and-half party system’?
The electoral rise of the Lib-Dems surged at a 19.3% of the vote resulting in the first post war ‘hung’ parliament.
In 1951 what was the percentage of votes and seats were achieved by the labour and conservative party?
- 6% if votes
96. 8% of seats
What 6 conditions have helped to create and sustain the British two-party system?
- The natural tendency to be ‘for’ or ‘against’ on issues (either labour or conservative)
- The electoral system (FPTP)
- ‘catch all’ parties aim to win back sections of the electorate
- Traditional absence of ethnic, religious differences within the population
- Problem faced by other parties (lack of finance, no identity)
deffintion of a party system
The stable pattern of political parties that normally compete in national elections and the way in which they interact with one another
What are the 4 arguments in support of UK being a 2 party system?
1) Labour and Conservatives are the only parties that have a realistic chance of forming a government in the near future or being the senior partner in a coalition
2) Even in 2010 the Labour and Conservatives secured 65.1% of the popular vote and 87% seats contested
3) The Lib-Dems are still a long way behind 2nd party
4) Good deal on stability in elections. Only 18% of seats changed hands in 2010
What are the 5 arguments in support of UK not being a 2 party system?
1) The UK is a dominant party system
2) in 2010, 34.9% of voters backed other parties
3) Though the liberal democrats are a third party, they are often second to Labour in the north and west and to the Conservatives in the south and east
4) Any party that could mobilise non-voters (34.9% in 2010) could win the election
Name an example of a dominant party system in another country
and
Which UK party could be seen as a dominant party?
Japan under the Liberal Democrat party 1955-93
- Conservative party after election victories in 1979, 1983,1987,1992
- Labour dominance 1997, 2001,2005
What is the origin of UK party systems?
1832 Great Reform Act
- This meant that before 1832, parties didn’t act as a mass membership organisation with formal structures
- Parties existed as like minded individuals within the legislature bound by friendship or family ties
Example of a multi-party system
Italy 1945-1993
What % of seats changed hands in the 2010 general election?
18%
in 2010 what percentage of votes backed Labour and Conservative party?
65.1%
