Question

what do you understand by "meaningful choice"? Are the political parties providing us the meaninful choice?? explain your views

Answer 1

Liberal democracy requires elections which provide voters with meaningful choices. What a meaningful choice set is depends upon the match between demand and supply in a specific society and a particular election. It depends on the character and strength of social divisions and their translation into the party system. And it depends on the responsiveness of political parties2 facing changing popular demands. Only if there is sufficient correspondence between demand and supply can general elections remain the prime linkage mechanism between society and politics. Only then, moreover, can electoral research be successful. If the voter does not perceive a choice to be meaningful, and the act of choosing a party or candidate is like flipping a coin, then the analysis of his or her choice behaviour is bound to produce null findings. Even the most sophisticated analysis of electoral behaviour will be unable to find much structure in such choices. A meaningful choice set presupposes a plurality of choice options from which to choose. In addition, those options need to differ on dimensions that are relevant to the purpose of elections. The purpose of a general election3 is to collectively decide about which political agenda4 should be pursued and which policies5 should be enacted, and about who should do it.6 Based upon this, we can identify three relevant dimensions for electoral choices to be meaningful.