Mention the characteristics and function of the political party
Answers
Answer:
Characteristics:
(i) A political party has members who agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote common good.
(ii) It seeks to implement the policies by winning popular support through elections.
(iii) A political party has three components: the leaders, the active members and the followers.
(iv) A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
Functions:
Contesting Elections: Political parties contest elections. A political party nominates its candidate for the electoral contest in various constituencies.
Policies: Political parties put forward different policies and programmes so that the voters can choose from them. A political party brings a large number of similar opinions under one umbrella. These opinions are channelized to form policies and programmes. The policies and prgrammes of the RULING PARTY are expected to be followed by the government.
Making Law: Political parties play a decisive role in making laws for the country. You may be aware that it is the legislature which passes a law after proper debate. As most of the members belong to political parties, so a political party has direct say in law making for the country.
Formation of Government: Political parties form and run governments. The executive body is formed by people from the ruling party. Various political leaders are assigned different ministries to carry out the task of governance.
Playing Opposition: A party which does not get majority or come under the majority coalition, needs to play the role of opposition.
Shaping Public Opinion: Political parties shape public opinion. They do so by raising and highlighting issues in the legislature and in the media. The activists of a political party are spread all over the country. These activists raise public awareness for their party’s perspective.
Providing Access to Government Machinery: Political parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments. Parties need to be responsive to people’s needs and demands. This helps them in winning the election.