What is the need to have political parties ? Long answer !
Answers
Introduction to Political Party:
A political party basically, is a group of people. These people come together to contest elections in order to hold power in the government. It is a way to mobilize voters to support common sets of interests, concerns, and goals. The primary role of the political party is to fix the political agenda and policies. So, each party tries to persuade people by claiming their policies are better than those of other parties.
Functions of a Political Party:
● Every political party has a number of functions to perform. Here we have listed some of them.
● A political party contests elections by putting up candidates.
● In countries like the USA, the candidates are selected by members and supporters of a party.
On the other hand, in countries like India, the candidates are chosen by top party leaders.
● Every party has different policies and programmes. Voters make a choice in accordance with the policies and programmes liked by them.
● In a democratic country, a large group of people that has certain similar opinions group together and form a party. Then then, give a direction to the policies adopted by the government.
● Those parties which lose elections form the opposition. They voice different views and criticise the government for their failures and mobilize opposition to the government.
Political parties shape public opinion. With the help of the pressure groups, the parties launch movements for solving problems faced by the people.
● Parties even offer access to government machinery and welfare schemes. The local party leader serves as a link between the citizen and the government officer.
Importance of Political Parties:
● A democracy cannot exist without the presence of a political party. This is clear from the function performed by the political parties. In case, there are no political parties then:
Every candidate in the election would be an independent candidate. Any individual candidate does not have the efficiency to promise any major policy change to the people. In such a scenario, no one will be responsible for how the country is run.
In the long run, only a representative democracy can survive. Political parties are the agencies that gather different views on various issues and present them to the government.
Political parties are the axis of the government. In most democracies, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by the political parties.
It is very difficult to imagine Democracy without political parties because without political parties every candidate in the election will be independent.So no one will be able to make any promise to the people about any major policy changes and new policies.
The government may be formed, but its life will remain ever uncertain. Elected representatives will be accountable to their constituencies for what they did to the locality. But no one will be responsible as to how the country will run.
The rise of political parties is directly linked to the emergence of representatives democracies. Large-scale societies need a representative democracy.
As societies become large and complex, they also needed some agency to gather different views on various issues , and to present these to the government. This is fulfilled by the political parties.