poiticial parties are one of the most visible institutions in a democracy. for a ordinary man democracy is equal to political parties. so it is important to understand what political party really is and how it is important for us.
WHAT IS A POLITICAL PARTY ?
● A POLITICAL PARTY IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO COME TOGETHER TO CONTEST ELECTIONS AND HOLD POWER IN THE GOVERNMENT.
● THE MEMBERS OF A POLITICAL PARTY SHARE COMMON POLITICAL IDEAS AND SUPPORT COMMON POLICIES. THEY FIXES THE POLITICAL AGENDA AND POLICIES AND TRIES TO PURSUADE PEOPLE BY CLAIMMING WHY THEIR POLICIES SRE BETTER GHAN THOSE OF OTHER PARTIES.
POLITICAL PARTIES IS THE MEANS THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE CAN SPEAK TO GHE GOVERNMENT AND HAVE A SAY IN THE GOVERNANCE OF ANY COUNTRY.
• POLITICAL PARTIES ARE A INTEGRAL PART OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
CHARACTERISTICS OF POLITICAL PARTIES
1. MEMBERS OF A POLITICAL PARTY HAVE COMMON POLITICAL GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS.
2. THEY BELIEVE IN SOME COMMON IDEAS.
3. A POLITICAL PARTY HAS A VERY GOOD ORGANISATIONAL SETUP.
4. POLITICAL PARTIES CONTEST ELECTIONS AND IF A PARTY WINS MAJORITY, IT WILL FORM THE GOVERNMENT.
5. POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD PROMOTE NATIONAL INTEREST. IF YOUR BODY IS AGAINST NATIONAL INTEREST IT WILL BE BANNED.
WHAT ARE THE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS OF A POLITICAL PARTY ??
© LEADERS
© ACTIVE MEMBERS
© FOLLOWERS...
WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF A POLITICAL PARTY IN A DEMOCRACY??
1. CONTEST ELECTIONS-
POLITICAL PARTIES PUT UP CANDIDATES TO CONTEST ELECTION.
2. PUT FORWARD POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES-
PARTIES PUT FORWARD DIFFERENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES AND THE VOTERS CHOOSE FROM THEM. THE GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES OF THE RULING PARTY.
3. THEY FORM AND RUN GOVERNMENT-
THE PARTY WHICH WINS MAJORITY OF SEEDS FROM THE GOVERNMENT. POLITICAL PARTIES TRAIN THE LEADERS AND THESE LEADERS BECAME MINISTERS.
4. ROLE OF OPPOSITION-
THE PARTY WHICH LOSES ELECTION FORM THE POSITION THE POSITION OPPOSES THE WRONG POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PREVENTS THE GOVERNMENT FROM BECOMING AUTOCRATIC.
5. SHAPE PUBLIC OPINION -
PARTIES MAKE THE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS AND CREATE PUBLIC OPINION.
6. MAKING LAWS-
PARTIES PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE LAW MAKING PROCESS MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE BELONG TO POLITICAL PARTIES SO PARTIES INFLUENCE LAW MAKING PROCESS.
7. PARTIES PROVIDE PEOPLE ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT MACHINERY AND WELFARE SCHEMES-
COMMON PEOPLE APPROACH THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THROUGH POLITICAL PARTIES. THE LOCAL PARTY LEADERS WILL ACT AS A LINK BETWEEN THE CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT, SO THAT THEY CAN GET BENIFFITED WITH WELFARE PROGRAMS.
WHAT WILL BE THE SITUATION WITHOUT POLITICAL PARTIES??
1. MODERN DEMOCRACIES CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT POLITICAL PARTIES.
2. IF POLITICAL PARTIES ARE ABSENT ALL THE CANDIDATES IN AN ELECTION WILL BE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE PROMISES ABOUT MAJOR POLICY CHANGES.
3. INDEPENDENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE ONLY TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CONSTITUENCIES , NO ONE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT.
4. THE FORMATION OF GOVERNMENT IS DIFFICULT WITHOUT POLITICAL PARTIES. THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE STABLE.
HOW MANY PARTIES SHOULD WE HAVE???
In a democracy any group of citizens is free to form a political party. Any democratic system must allow at least two parties to compete in elections and provide a fair chance for competing parties to come to power.
♧ SINGLE/ ONE PARTY SYSTEM
Example- China(communist party of China)
♧ TWO PARTY/ BI PARTY SYSTEM
Example- USA AND UK
♧ MULTI PARTY SYSTEM.
Example- India
SINGLE PARTY SYSTEM
IT IS A SYSTEM IN WHICH ONLY ONE PARTY IS ALLOWED TO FUNCTION.
THERE IS NO COMPETITION IN THIS SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM HOWEVER DOES NOT ALLOW ANY OTHER POLITICAL PARTY TO FUNCTION.
EXAMPLE: CHINA AND CUBA
DEMERITS OF A SINGLE PARTY SYSTEM
1. SINGLE PARTY SYSTEM IS AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC IDEAS OF FREEDOM AND EQUALITY.
2. SINGLE PARTY SYSTEM MAY BECAME THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE RULING PARTY.
3. DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ARE NOT TOLERATED.
TWO PARTY SYSTEM [BY PARTY SYSTEM]
Two party system is one in which there are only two major parties most of the seeds in the legislature by these two parties. example USA, Great Britain.
MULTI PARTY SYSTEM
MULTI PARTY SYSTEM IS ONE IN WHICH MANY BIG AND SMALL PARTIES FUNCTION IN A COUNTRY.
GENERALLY NO PARTY GETS MAJORITY IN THE LEGISLATURE PART IS COMPILATIONS TO COME TO POWER.
EXAMPLE- INDIA.
MERITS OF MULTI PARTY SYSTEM-
1. PROVIDES LOT OF CHOICE TO THE PEOPLE.
2. WE CAN FIND OUT WHICH PARTY POLICIES ARE GOOD AND VOTE FOR IT .
3. THE RULING GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE AUTOCRATIC .
4. THE PRIME MINISTER WILL HAVE TO CONSULT THE COALITION PARTNERS BEFORE TAKING ANY MAJOR DECISIONS THAT HELPS TO PROVIDE REPRESENTATION TO DIFFERENT SOCIAL GROUPS IN THE LEGISLATURE .
5. THE VOICES OF DIFFERENT REGIONS WILL BE RAISED BY DIFFERENT PARTIES.
DEMERITS OF MULTI PARTY SYSTEM-
1. NO PARTY GETS MAJORITY IN THE PARLIAMENT.
2. SOAK UP MINT FORMATION WAS DIFFICULT.
3. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE STABLE.
4. FREQUENT ELECTIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED .
5. A LOT OF MONEY IS WASTED FOR ELECTIONS.
6. LONG TERM POLICIES CANNOT BE TAKEN UP.
7. THE GOVERNMENT IS SICK THAT CANNOT BE STRONG DECISIONS.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ALLIANCE AND A COALITION GOVERNMENT??
WHEN SEVERAL PARTIES JOIN HANDS TO CONTESTING ELECTION IT IS CALLED AN ALLIANCE OR FRONT.
FOR EXAMPLE- LEFT FRONT OR NDA
NO SINGLE PARTY GETS MAJORITY IN THE LEGISLATURE TO A MORE PARTIES TOGETHER FORM A GOVERNMENT IT IS CALLED COALITION GOVERNMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE - UPA GOVERNMENT.
WHICH POLITICAL SYSTEM IS BEST?
A COUNTRY CANNOT CHOOSE ITS POLITICAL SYSTEM.
IT EVOLVES OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE SOCIETY AND ITS SOCIAL AND REGIONAL DIVISIONS, ITS HISTORY OF POLITICS AND ITS SYSTEM OF ELECTION. THESE CANNOT BE CHANGED VERY QUICKLY.
EACH SYSTEM DEVELOPS A PARTY SYSTEM ACCORDING TO ITS OWN SOCIAL AND REGIONAL DIVISIONS.
WHY HAS INDIA GONE IN FOR A MULTIPARTY SYSTEM??
INDIA HAS A MULTI PARTY SYSTEM BECAUSE-
1. INDIA IS A HUGE COUNTRY WITH LOT OF DIVERSITIES.
2. EACH SEASON HAS ITS OWN CULTURE LANGUAGE AND TRADITIONS.
3. PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT REGIONS HAVE DIFFERENT POLITICAL IDEAS AND ASPIRATIONS
4. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF POLITICAL PARTIES.
LETS NOW HAVE A DETAIL ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL PARTIES-
☆ EVERY PARTY HAS TO REGISTER WITH THE ELECTION COMMISSION.
☆ ELECTION COMMISSION GIVE SOME SPECIAL FACILITIES TO LARGE AND ESTABLISHED PARTIES.
THEY ARE GIVEN A UNIQUE SYMBOL.
☆ THE OFFICIAL CANDIDATES OF THAT PARTY CAN USE THAT ELECTION SYMBOL.
☆ PARTIES WHICH GETS SPECIAL FACILITIES ARE CALLED RECOGNISED POLITICAL PARTIES.
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC)
CONGRESS PARTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PARTIES OF THE WORLD.
IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1885 AND HAS EXPERIENCED MANY SPLITS.
IT IS THE CENTRAL PARTY WHICH SUPPORTS MIXED ECONOMY. IT WORKS FOR SECULARISM, WELFARE OF WEAKER SECTIONS AND MINORITIES.
IT SUPPORTS THE ECONOMIC REFORMS.
ALL INDIA TRINAMOOL CONGRESS
LAUNCHED ON 1ST JANUARY 1998 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAMTA BANERJEE.
IT WAS RECOGNISED AS A NATIONAL PARTY IN 2016.
THE PARTY SYMBOL IS FLOWER AND GRASS.
IT SUPPORT SECULARISM AND FEDERALISM.
IT HAS BEEN IN POWER IN WEST BENGAL SINCE 2011.
IT HAS PRESENCE IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH, MANIPUR AND TRIPURA.
IN THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN 2014, IT GOT 4.07% VOTES AND WON 34 SEATS, MAKING IT THE IT FOURTH LARGEST PARTY IN THE LOK SABHA.
BSP WAS FORMED BY KANSHI RAM IN 1984 .
IT WANTED TO SECURE POWERS FOR THE BAHUJAN WHICH INCLUDES DALITS, ADIVASI, OBCS AND MINORITIES.
IT HAS ITS MAIN BASE IN THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND SUBSTANTIAL PRESENCE IN NEIGHBOURING STATES LIKE MADHYA PRADESH, CHHATTISGARH, UTTARAKHAND, DELHI AND PUNJAB.
IT DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE TEACHING OF SAHU MAHARAJ, MAMTA PHULE, PERIYAR AND AMBEDKAR.
IT WORKS FOR THE WELFARE OF THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE.
BHARTIYA JANATA PARTY( BJP )
IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1980, FORMED BY THE FORMER LEADER SYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJEE IN 1951.
IT WANTS TO BUILD A STRONG AND MODERN INDIA AND PROTECT ANCIENT CULTURES AND VALUES .
CULTURAL NATIONALISM OR HINDUTVA IS AN IDEOLOGY OF BJP.
IT DEMANDS THE COMPLETE INTEGRATION OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR WITH INDIA.
IT DEMANDS A UNIFORM CIVIL CODE.
IT EMERGED AS THE LARGEST PARTY WITH 282 MEMBERS IN THE 2014 LOKSABHA ELECTIONS.
COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA
IT WAS FORMED IN 1925.
IT BELIEVES IN MARXISM-LENINISM, SECULARISM AND DEMOCRACY.
ACCEPTS PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY AS MEANS OF PROMOTING THE INTEREST OF THE WORKING CLASS, FARMERS AND THE POOR.
SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE IN THE STATES OF KERALA, WEST BENGAL, PUNJAB, ANDHRA PRADESH AND TAMIL NADU.
COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA MARXIST
CPIM WAS FOUNDED 1925.
IT BELIEVES IN SCIENTIFIC SOCIALISM.
IT SUPPORT SOCIALISM, SECULARISM AND DEMOCRACY.
IT OPPOSES IMPERIALISM AND COMMUNISM
IT ACCEPTS DEMOCRATIC ELECTION AS A MEANS TO SECURE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
THE PARTY WAS IN POWER IN WEST BENGAL WITHOUT A BREAK FOR 34 YEARS.
NATIONALIST CONGRESS PARTY(NCP)
IT WAS FORMED IN 1999 DUE TO A SPLIT IN THE CONGRESS.
IT SUPPORTS DEMOCRACY, GANDHIAN SECULARISM, EQUALITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND FEDERALISM.
IT WANTS ONLY THE NATURAL BORN CITIZENS TO HOLD THE OFFICE IN GOVERNMENT.
A MAJOR PARTY IN MAHARASHTRA AND HAS A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE IN MEGHALAYA, MANIPUR AND ASSAM.
STATE PARTIES
Many parties in the country are classified as state parties by the election commission of India their also known as regional party.
STATE PARTY HAS INFLUENCE ONLY IN ONE OR TWO STATES.
IF IT WAS GETS AT LEAST 6% OF VOTES IN ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF A STATE AND WINS AT LEAST TWO SEATS IS CONSIDERED AS A STATE PARTY.
STATE PARTIES HAVE BECOME HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT TODAY
NO PARTY IS ABLE TO GET MAJORITY IN THE PARLIAMENT SO NATIONAL PARTIES FORM ALLIANCES WITH STATE PARTIES TO COME TO POWER THE STATE PARTIES ALSO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A PART OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO POLITICAL PARTIES??
SINCE PARTIES ARE THE MOST VISIBLE FACE OF DEMOCRACY, IT IS NATURAL THAT PEOPLE BLAME PARTIES FOR WHATEVER GOES WRONG WITHIN A COUNTRY. ALL OVER THE WORLD, PEOPLE EXPRESS STRONG DISSATISFACTION AND CRITICISM HAVE FOCUSED ON FOUR PROBLEM AREA. THE CHALLENGES INCLUDE ARE-
✓ LACK OF INTERNAL DEMOCRACY WITHIN THE PARTIES-
IN MOST OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES POWER IS CONCENTRATED IN THE HANDS OF ONE OR TWO LEADERS.
AT THE TOP, PARTIES DO NOT KEEP MEMBERSHIP REGISTERED, DO NOT HOLD PARTY MEETINGS AND DO NOT CONDUCT INTERNAL ELECTIONS REGULARLY,
ORDINARY MEMBERS TO HAD NOT HAVE ANY ROLE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS
✓ DYNASTY SUCCESSION
LEADERS HAVE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE TO FAVOUR PEOPLE CLOSE TO THEM.
DO NOT PRACTICE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCEDURE FOR FUNCTIONING.
TOP POSITION ALWAYS CONTROLLED BY FAMILY MEMBERS.
✓ MONEY AND MUSCLE POWER IN PARTIES
POLITICAL PARTIES TRIES TO FIND SHORTCUT METHODS TO WIN ELECTIONS.
THE USE OF MONEY AND MUSCLES POWER.
RICH PEOPLE ARE NOMINATED AS ENDED SOME EVEN CRIMINALS ARE NOMINATED BY POLITICAL PARTIES.
✓ OFFERING OF MEANINGFUL CHOICE
MOST OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE SEEN NOT TO OFFER A MEANINGFUL CHOICES TO THE VOTERS. THIS IS ON ACCOUNT OF LACK OF IDEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DIFFERENT PARTIES.
FOR EXAMPLE MOST OF THE PARTIES IN INDIA SUPPORT THE SAME ECONOMIC POLICIES SO PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE CHOICES.
HOW CAN WE REFORM POLITICAL PARTIES?
REFORMS TO STRENGTHEN PARTIES-
A LAW SHOULD BE MADE TO MAKE IT COMPULSORY FOR POLITICAL PARTIES TO MAINTAIN A REGISTER OF ITS MEMBERS AND TO FOLLOW ITS OWN CONSTITUTION.
POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD GIVE AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF THE TICKETS TO WOMEN CANDIDATES.
PEOPLE SHOULD PUT PRESSURE ON PARTIES TO REFORM.
THEY SHOULD ORGANISE STRUGGLES AND SPEND PETITIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FUND ELECTIONS. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE MONEY TO PARTIES TO MEET THEIR ELECTION EXPENDITURE.
MLA AND MP'S SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CHANGE POLITICAL PARTIES.
STEPS TAKE CARE IN INDIA TO REFORM THE POLITICAL PARTIES-
THE CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN AMENDED TO PREVENT MLA'S AND MP'S FROM CHANGING THE POLITICAL PARTIES.
THOSE WHO CHANGE THE PARTY WILL LOOSE THEIR SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
IT HAS BEEN MADE COMPULSORY FOR EVERY CANDIDATE TO FILE AND AFFIDAVIT GIVING DETAILS OF HIS PROPERTY AND CRIMINAL CASES PENDING AGAINST HIM.
ELECTION COMMISSION HAS MADE IT COMPULSORY FOR PARTIES TO HOLD INTERNAL ELECTIONS AND FILE INCOME TAX RETURNS.
THANK YOU.
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