Why do we need political parties?
1. Introduction
- Political parties are highly visible in democracies, often synonymous with democracy for many citizens.
- Even in remote areas, where people (less educated citizens) might not understand the Constitution or the government, they usually have some knowledge of political parties.
2. Visibility vs. Popularity
- Despite their visibility, political parties are not necessarily popular.
- Many people criticize political parties,
- Holding them responsible for issues in democracy and politics.
- Parties are often associated with social and political divisions.
3. The Need for Political Parties
- The question arises: Do we need political parties at all?
- About a hundred years ago, there were few countries of the world that had any political party. Now there are few that do not have parties..
- Why did political parties become so prevalent in democracies worldwide?
Understanding Political Parties:
1. Definition:
- A political party is a group of people aiming:
- to contest elections and
- hold power in the government.
- They share some policies for societal betterment (collective good) , though these policies may vary.
- They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections.
2. Reflection of Divisions:
- Parties represent significant political divisions in society.
- They exhibit partisanship by supporting specific policies and interests.
Note: Partisan: A person who is strongly committed to a party, group or faction. Partisanship is marked by a tendency to take a side and inability to take a balanced view on an issue.
- A party is recognized by its stance, supported policies, and whose interests it serves.
3. Components of a Political Party:
- A political party consists of three key elements:
- The Leaders
- The Active members
- The Followers
In summary, political parties are groups of people striving to win elections and implement policies, reflecting societal divisions, and comprising leaders, active members, and followers.
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Functions of Political Parties: |
1. Contesting Elections:
- Political parties compete for political offices and power through elections.
- Parties choose candidates differently,
USA - members and supporters of a party choose its candidates.
India - top party leaders choose candidates for contesting elections.
2. Presenting Policies and Programs:
- Parties offer various policies and programs, giving voters options.
- Since people have different opinions, parties Groups these opinions into a few core positions to guide government policy-making.
- A government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.
In summary, political parties contest elections and simplify diverse opinions into core policy positions, allowing governments to shape policies based on the party's direction.
3. Parties' Role in Making Laws:
- Parties play a key role in making laws for a country.
- Formally, laws are debated and passed in the legislature.
Party Direction:
- Most legislators are party members.
- They often follow party leadership's directions over personal opinions.
4. Parties form and run governments.
Big policy decisions are taken by political executives that comes from the political parties.
Parties:
- Recruit leaders,
- Train them and
- Then make them ministers to run the government in the way they want.
5. Role of Opposition Parties:
Post-Election Role: Parties that lose elections become the opposition.
Critique and Alternatives: They criticize the government's actions and policies, offering alternative viewpoints.
Mobilizing Opposition: Opposition parties rally public dissent against the government's decisions and actions.
6. Parties and Public Opinion:
Issue Promotion: Parties bring important issues to the forefront of public attention.
Wide Support: They have a vast network of members and activists across the country.
Pressure Group Connection: Many pressure groups align with political parties, representing various societal segments.
Movements for Change: Parties sometimes initiate movements to address people's problems.
Shaping Public Opinion: The views of political parties often influence and shape public opinions on various matters.
7. Access to Government Benefits:
Gateway to Services: Parties offer a direct link for citizens to access government services and welfare programs.
Local Leaders: Ordinary people find it easier to approach local party leaders for assistance than government officials.
Conclusions:
Parties and Public Trust:
Emotional Connection: People often have a sense of closeness to parties, even if they don't fully trust them.
Responsiveness Required: Parties must respond to people's needs and demands.
Electoral Consequences: Failure to address these concerns can lead to rejection by voters in future elections.
Necessity
Crucial Functions: Political parties - performing various functions.
Necessity in Modern Democracies: To understand why they're crucial, imagine a scenario without parties.
The Role of Independent Candidates: In a party-less scenario, every candidate runs independently, making it challenging to make promises about major policy changes.
Uncertain Governance: The government may form, but its effectiveness will remain uncertain without organized parties.
Lack of Accountability for National Governance: While elected representatives are accountable locally, no one takes responsibility for how the entire country is governed. Political parties bridge this gap, ensuring accountability at both local and national levels.
Panchayat Example: In some states, panchayat elections lack formal party contests, but villages often split into factions, each fielding a candidate panel. This mimics party behavior.
Global Presence: Political parties exist in almost all countries worldwide, regardless of their size, age, or development status.
Foundation in Democracy: The growth of political parties is closely tied to the rise of representative democracies, highlighting their integral role in democratic systems.
Conclusion:
Necessity of Political Parties in Democracy
Requirement in Large Societies: Representative democracy is essential for large, complex societies.
Agency for Diverse Views: These societies require an entity to gather and convey diverse opinions to the government.
Facilitating Responsible Government: Parties bring representatives together to form a responsible government, ensuring efficient governance.
Policy Formation and Accountability: They play a crucial role in policy-making, support, opposition, and holding the government accountable.
Essential for Democracy: Political parties are a fundamental requirement for the functioning of a democracy.
How many parties should we have?
Political Party Diversity in Democracy:
Freedom to Form Parties: In democracies, any group of citizens can create a political party.
Many Parties in Formal Sense: Each country may have numerous registered parties, such as over 750 in India.
Serious Contenders: However, only a handful of parties are genuine contenders in elections with the potential to form a government.
Q The question arises: How many major or effective parties are ideal for a democracy?
One-Party Systems: Some countries have one-party systems where only one party governs. This is undemocratic because it lacks competition.
Communist Party of China
legally - people are free to form political parties, but the electoral system does not permit free competition for power.
At Least Two Competing Parties: For a democracy to function properly, it should allow at least two parties to compete fairly in elections and have a chance to come to power.
Two-Party Systems in Countries: Bi-party system
Definition: Only two main parties have a real chance to win the majority of seats for government formation.
Examples: United States and United Kingdom.
Minor Parties: Other parties exist but usually win only a few seats.
Majority Chances: Only the two main parties can achieve a majority in the national legislature.
Multi Party System:
Definition: If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others, we call it a multiparty system.
Ex: India
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Q: (i) What is one-party or single party system? Give one example. [CBSE March 2011] (ii) What is a multiparty system ? ICBSE March 2011, 2015 (D)] Compare and contrast Multiparty system with one party system. Or Explain the merits of Multiparty System. ICBSE 2023(D)]
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Coalition System: In this system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition.
Alliance or a front: When several parties in a multi-party system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front.
Ex: Election Alliances: Parties team up in alliances or fronts, e.g.,
- NDA (National Democratic Alliance)
- UPA (United Progressive Alliance) and
- Left Front in 2004.
-ve
The multiparty system -
- appears very messy and
- leads to political instability.
+ve
At the same time, this system allows a variety of interests and opinions to enjoy political representation.
Which Party System is Better?
Not a Simple Question: Determining the best party system isn't straightforward.
Evolution Over Time: Party systems develop gradually based on societal factors, history, and elections.
Unique Circumstances: Each country's party system is shaped by its unique conditions.
Example: India's Multiparty System: India's diversity led to a multiparty system.
No Universal Ideal: There's no one-size-fits-all party system; what works varies by country and situation.
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Popular participation in political parties It is often said that political parties are facing a crisis because they are very unpopular and the citizens are indifferent to political parties. The available evidence shows that this belief is only partly true for India. The evidence, based on a series of large sample surveys conducted over several decades, shows that: Political parties do not enjoy much trust among the people in South Asia. The proportion of those who say their trust in political parties is ‘not much’ or ‘not at all’ is more than those who have ‘some’ or ‘great’ trust. The same is true of most other democracies as well. Political parties are one of the least trusted institutions all over the world. Yet the level of participation in the activities of political parties was fairly high. The proportion of those who said they were members of some political party was higher in India than many advanced countries like Canada, Japan, Spain and South Korea. Over the last three decades, the proportion of those who report to be members of political parties in India has gone up steadily. The proportion of those who say they feel ‘close to a political party’ has also gone up in India in this period. Questions: 1. Based on the evidence, what is the general trend in the level of trust that people have in political parties in South Asia? 2. How does the level of trust in political parties in most democracies compare to other institutions worldwide? 3. In terms of party membership, how does India compare to advanced countries like Canada, Japan, Spain, and South Korea? 4. What has been the trend in the proportion of people claiming to be members of political parties in India over the last three decades? 5. How has the proportion of people who report feeling "close to a political party" changed in India over the same period? 6. Given the information provided, what conclusions can be drawn about the relationship between trust in political parties and active participation in political party activities in India? |
National parties
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Q: Distinguish between a regional and a national party. [CBSE March 2012) Or State the conditions as laid down by the Election Commission to recognise a 'State Party' and 'National Party. [CBSE 2016 (D)]
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Two Types of Parties: The Federal democratic system has two types of political parties.
Regional or Local Parties: Parties that are present in only one of the federal units
National Parties:
These parties have their units in various states. But by and large, all these units follow the same policies, programmes and strategy that is decided at the national level.
Ex: India
Unoform Policies: National parties generally maintain uniform policies, programs, and strategies decided at the national level.
Party Registration with Election Commission
- All parties must register with the Election Commission.
Recognised political parties:
- While the EC treats all parties equally But
- But large Established parties receive special privileges.
- They are granted a unique election symbol only for their official candidates.
EC - Criteria for Recognised political parties
State Party: A party that secures:
- At least six per cent of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a State and
- Wins at least two seats and is recognised as a State party.
National Party:
A party that secures:
- At least six per cent of the total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections in four States and
- Wins at least four seats in the Lok Sabha is recognised as a national party.
According to this classification, there were seven recognised national parties in the country in 2019.
Home work (Self Study)
All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)
Establishment: Founded on 1 January 1998 by Mamata Banerjee
National Party Recognition: In 2016
Party Symbol: Depicts flowers and grass
Ideological Focus: Committed to secularism and federalism
Political Dominance: Has been in power in West Bengal since 2011
Regional Presence: Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura
2019 General Elections: Secured 4.07% of the vote share and won 22 seats, ranking as the fourth-largest party in the Lok Sabha.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
Formation: Established in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram
Representation Focus: Aims to empower the "bahujan samaj," which includes dalits, adivasis, OBCs, and religious minorities
Inspirations: Draws inspiration from the ideas of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker, and Babasaheb Ambedkar
Social Welfare: Advocates for the welfare and rights of dalits and marginalized communities
Geographical Base: Primarily based in Uttar Pradesh and has a substantial presence in neighboring states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Punjab
Electoral Success: Has formed the government in Uttar Pradesh multiple times through alliances with different parties. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it secured 3.63% of the vote share and won 10 seats.
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- **Historical Roots:** Revived in 1980, originally formed as Bharatiya Jana Sangh by Syama Prasad Mukherjee in 1951
- **Vision:** Aims to create a strong and modern India, drawing inspiration from ancient Indian culture and values, Deendayal Upadhyaya's integral humanism, and Antyodaya
- **Ideological Emphasis:** Embraces cultural nationalism (Hindutva) and advocates for the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir, a uniform civil code, and a ban on religious conversions
- **Political Expansion:** Initially limited to the north and west regions and urban areas, the party expanded its support to the south, east, northeast, and rural areas in the 1990s
- **Electoral Success:** Formed the government in 1998 as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with several regional parties. Became the largest party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with 303 members and currently leads the ruling NDA government at the Centre.
- **Party Name:** Communist Party of India (CPI)
- **Formation:** Established in 1925
- **Ideological Stance:** Adheres to Marxism-Leninism, secularism, and democracy
- **Political Stand:** Opposes secessionism and communalism, while embracing parliamentary democracy to serve the interests of the working class, farmers, and the poor
- **Historical Split:** Weakened after the 1964 party split, leading to the creation of CPI(M)
- **State Presence:** Significant presence in Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu
- **Electoral Decline:** Over time, its support base has dwindled. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it garnered less than 1% of the vote share and won 2 seats
- **Unity Advocacy:** Calls for the unity of all left parties to establish a strong left front.
- **Party Name:** Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M)
- **Establishment:** Formed in 1964
- **Ideological Beliefs:** Embraces Marxism-Leninism, supports socialism, secularism, and democracy, while opposing imperialism and communalism
- **Democratic Approach:** Accepts democratic elections as a means to achieve socio-economic justice in India
- **Strongholds:** Enjoys significant support in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tripura, particularly among the poor, factory workers, farmers, agricultural laborers, and the intelligentsia
- **Economic Policy Stance:** Criticizes new economic policies allowing the free flow of foreign capital and goods into India
- **Historical Reign:** Ruled West Bengal continuously for 34 years
- **2019 Lok Sabha Performance:** Secured approximately 1.75% of the vote share and won 3 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
- **Party Name:** Indian National Congress (INC), popularly known as the Congress Party
- **Historical Significance:** One of the world's oldest political parties, founded in 1885 with a history of splits
- **Political Dominance:** Played a dominant role in Indian politics, both nationally and at the state level, for several decades after Independence
- **Nehruvian Legacy:** Led by Jawaharlal Nehru, aimed to establish a modern secular democratic republic in India
- **Periods of Governance:** Ruled at the center until 1977 and then from 1980 to 1989
- **Changing Fortunes:** Experienced a decline in support after 1989 but maintains a nationwide presence, transcending social divisions
- **Centrist Ideology:** Positions itself as a centrist party, emphasizing secularism and the welfare of weaker sections and minorities
- **Economic Reforms:** Supports new economic reforms, advocating for them to benefit the people
- **Leadership:** Led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2004 to 2019
- **2019 Lok Sabha Performance:** In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, it secured 19.5% of the vote share and won 52 seats.
- **Party Name:** Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
- **Formation:** Established in 1999 after a split from the Congress party
- **Core Values:** Advocates democracy, Gandhian secularism, equity, social justice, and federalism
- **Citizenship Stance:** Supports reserving high government offices for natural-born citizens
- **Regional Strength:** A major political force in Maharashtra and holds a significant presence in Meghalaya, Manipur, and Assam
- **Political Alliances:** Forms a coalition with the Congress in Maharashtra and has been a member of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) since 2004
- **2019 Lok Sabha Performance:** Secured 1.4% of the vote share and won 5 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
State Parties:
Besides the seven major parties, the Election Commission categorizes most major parties as 'State parties,' often referred to as regional parties.
Regional vs. Ideological:These parties can have a national or all-India outlook, even if they primarily are state parties.
- Samajwadi Party and
- Rashtriya Janata Dal has a national presence with units in multiple states.
Others, such as Biju Janata Dal, Sikkim Democratic Front, Mizo National Front, and Telangana Rashtra Samithi, prioritize and maintain their state identity.
Rise of State Parties:
Over the past three decades, the number and influence of these state parties have grown significantly, bringing greater diversity to the Indian Parliament.
Coalition Politics: Until 2014, no single national party to secure on its own a majority in the Lok Sabha = compelled to form alliances with State parties.
- Inclusive Governance: Since 1996, nearly every state party has had a chance to participate in national-level coalition governments, enhancing federalism and democracy. (Significance)
Challenges to political parties
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Q: What are the major challenges which the political parties face in the present era? Explain. (CBSE March 2011, 2016] Why is there a lack of internal democracy within political parties in India? Explain with examples. CBSE 2008, 2015 (D)]* Critically examine the working of political parties in four points. [CBSE 2012] How do money and muscle power play an important role in elections? Explain. [CBSE 2015 (0)] |
Lack of Internal Democracy:
- Concentration of power in top leaders.
- Absence of membership registers, organizational meetings, and regular internal elections.
- Limited information for ordinary party members - what happens inside the party and lacks means or connections to influence decisions.
Result -👇ðŸ»ðŸ‘‡ðŸ»ðŸ‘‡ðŸ»ðŸ‘‡ðŸ»ðŸ‘‡ðŸ»ðŸ‘‡ðŸ»
Leader-Centric Decision-Making:
- Leaders hold paramount power.
- Disagree with leadership = Oust from party.
- Personal loyalty to leaders is more important than party principles and policies.
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Q: How is dynastic succession the major challenge for political parties in India ? Explain. [CBSE 2015 (O)] Or "Dynastic succession is the major challenge for political parties." Explain. |
Challenges of Dynastic Succession:
1. Limited Opportunities for Ordinary Workers:
- Lack of open and transparent procedures hinder grassroots workers' advancement.
2. Unfair Favoritism:
- Leaders can show favoritism to close associates and family members.
- Top positions often monopolized by a single family, disadvantaging other party members.
3. Impact on Grassroots Involvement:
- Dynastic succession restricts grassroots workers from rising to leadership roles.
4. Reduced Diversity in Parliament:
- Less than 50% of MPs enter politics through grassroots efforts.
- Many women MPs gain political entry through family connections.
5. Undermining Internal Democracy:
- Dynastic succession contributes to the lack of internal democracy in political parties.
6. Hindrance to Regular Elections:
- Dynastic succession often prevents parties from holding regular elections for top leadership positions.
Challenges of Money and Muscle Power in Parties:
1. Since parties are focussed only on winning elections, they tend to use short-cuts to win elections.
2. They tend to nominate those candidates who have or can raise lots of money.
3. Influence of Wealthy Donors:
- Rich individuals and companies supporting parties gain influence over policies and decisions.
4. Support for Criminal Candidates:
- In some cases, parties support criminals who can win elections.
5. Democrats all over the world are worried about the increasing role of rich people and big companies in democratic politics.
Challenges of Money and Muscle Power in Parties:
1. Since parties are focussed only on winning elections, they tend to use short-cuts to win elections.
2. They tend to nominate those candidates who have or can raise lots of money.
3. Influence of Wealthy Donors:
- Rich individuals and companies supporting parties gain influence over policies and decisions.
4. Support for Criminal Candidates:
- In some cases, parties support criminals who can win elections.
5. Democrats all over the world are worried about the increasing role of rich people and big companies in democratic politics.
Can you identify which of the challenges described in this section
are being highlighted in these cartoons (on pages 57 to 59)?
What are the ways to curb the misuse of money and muscle power in politics?
How can parties be reformed?
Anti-Defection Law:
Defection: Changing party allegiance from the party on which a person got elected (to a legislative body) to a different party
1. Background:
- Elected representatives changing parties (defection).
- Motivated by the desire for:
- Ministerial positions or
- For cash rewards.
Anti-Defection Amendment:
- Now the law says that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in the legislature.
Significance:
- Helped bring defection down.
- At the same time, this has made any dissent even more difficult.
- MPs and MLAs have to accept whatever the party leaders decide.
Affidavits:
Affidavit: A signed document submitted to an officer, where a person makes a sworn statement regarding her personal information.
1. Supreme Court's Initiative:
- Aims to reduce money and criminal influence in elections.
2. Mandatory Affidavits:
(i) Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate;
(ii) Details of the assets and liabilities of the candidate and his or her family; and
(iii) Educational qualifications of the candidate.
- The new system has made a lot of information available to the public.
3. Verification Gap:
- But there is no system to check if the information given by the candidates is true.
4. Significance - Error
- As yet we do not know if it has led to decline in the influence of the rich and the criminals.
Steps taken by the Election Commission :
The Election Commission passed an order making it necessary for political parties to hold their organisational elections, and file their income tax returns.
Model code of conduct:
According to this-
(i) No party or candidate can use any place of worship for election propaganda.
(ii) Use government vehicles, aircrafts and
officials for elections; and
(iii) Once elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects, take any big policy decisions or make any promises of providing public facilities.
Suggestions to reform political parties:
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Explain some measures to strengthen the electoral system of India. [CBSE 2008 (O), March 2010] How can political parties be reformed ? Explain. (CBSE March 2012, CBSE 2015 (O)] Suggest any five political reforms to strengthen democracy. Or What steps can be taken to reforms the political parties in India? Suggest any four steps. [CBSE 2012, 2016 (0), 2020 (O)] |
1. Regulation of internal affairs of political parties:
compulsory for political parties:
- to maintain a register of its members,
- to follow its own constitution,
- to have an independent authority,
- to act as a judge in case of party disputes,
- to hold open elections to the highest posts.
2. Women's Representation:
- Mandatory allocation of one-third of tickets to women candidates.
- Quotas for women in party decision-making bodies.
3. Provision of State Funding of Elections:
- This support could be given:
In kind: petrol, paper, telephone, etc. Or
In cash on the basis of the votes secured by the party in the last election.
4. Challenges and Hesitation:
- These suggestions not yet adopted by political parties.
- But we must be very careful about legal solutions to political problems.
- Over-regulation of political parties can be counter-productive.
- This would force all parties to find ways to cheat the law.
Besides, political parties will not agree to pass a law that they do not like.
5. Provision to minimize the number of candidates
6. Proper revision of voters lists:
Two Other Ways:
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Q: Explain the role of common people in reforming the political system of India. |
1. Public Pressure:
- Citizens, pressure groups, movements, and media can pressure parties through petitions, protests, and awareness campaigns.
- This can make parties more committed to reforms, fearing loss of public support.
2. Participation and Improvement:
- People interested in political reform should consider joining political parties.
- Democracy's quality relies on public participation; criticizing from outside is insufficient.
Conclusion: Solving bad political issues requires active participation and better politics.
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