Functions of a Political Party

Functions of a Political Party

1. 1. Representation

   • Parties respond to articulate the public, and so we have 2 types of party
     • 1. 'Catch-all' parties
       • Develop policies aimed to appeal to a wide range of people
     • 2. 'Programmatic' Parties
       • Tend of have a fixed (or narrow) agenda
   • Limits to the ability of parties to represent the public
     • The elecorate isn't always well informed, or rational in choices
     • Image and Personality may sway the electorate more than policies
     • The FPTP system gives a majority to a party which earns 40% of the vote

2. 2. Policy formation

   • Political parties are the main method used by society, to from it's goals and public policies
   • For policies to be seen a number of ways are used by parties
     • Party forums
     • Annual conferances
     • Election manisfestos
   • There are limits to the effectiveness of policy formation
     • Parties now seem to fight for the middle ground, and do not have distinct ideologys
     • Parties tend to follow public opinion, rather than shape it through clear ideological stances

3. 3. Recruitment of Leaders

   • All political leaders begin as party members
   • Political expression is gained through;
     • Conversing
     • Debating
     • Involvement with local constituency
   • Political expression can lead to
     • A nomination as a parliamentry candidate
     • A senior role
   • There are limits to the effectiveness of the recruitment of leaders;
     • Government is formed from the party with the majority, in the House of Commons, so there is a small pool of candidates
     • Electorineering, and other party activities may be poor training for running a large government department

4. 4. Organisation of Government

   • Parties help to form Government
   • Give government stability
   • Facilitate cooperation between parliament and the executiver
   • Provide a way source of oppositition, so government can scrutinised
   • There has been a decline in party unity, since the 1970s, this has tended to weaken the majority party's control of the House of Commons

5. 5. Participation and mobilisation of the electorate

   • Parties provide opportunities for citizens to join, and potentially shape policies
   • Parties help to educate and moblise the electorate through;
     • Canvassing
     • Public meetings
     • Advertising
     • Poster campaigns
     • Party broadcasts
   • Limits top the effectiveness:
     • Voter loyalty has delclined
       • 44% of voters had a strong attachment to a party in 1964
       • 10% of voters had a strong attachment in 2005
     • Turnout has declined
     • Membership to a party has fallen
       • 3 million people where a member of a party in the 60s
       • 800,000 in the early 2000s