Political Parties PDF

POLITICAL PARTIES There are a lot of different definitions for a political party; there is no “correct” one, but most party-definitions combine the following elements: Objective of parties (which ones?) Methods of parties (electoral and governing sphere) Their role in political competition...

POLITICAL PARTIES There are a lot of different definitions for a political party; there is no “correct” one, but most party-definitions combine the following elements: Objective of parties (which ones?) Methods of parties (electoral and governing sphere) Their role in political competition Their role in a democracy ORIGINS OF PARTY EARLIER PARTIES WERE OF INTRA-PARLIAMENTARY ORIGIN: Success in gaining control over the executive Rise of parliamentary government PARTIES OF EXTRA-PARLIEMENTARY ORIGIN: To organize ‘excluded’ from political participation (before the universal suffrage)  Pressed established parties to broaden suffrage. More recently: rich entrepreneurs creating parties (that looks more like an old internal party). Parties of internal/external origin differ with respect to: Timing (extra-parliamentary came after), organization, social basis: upper and upper middle classes for intra-origins; middle, lower-middle and working classes for extra-origins (except for ‘new’ externally set up parties). THE FUNCTION OF PARTIES : Parties perform a number of central functions: COORDINATION With the government and parliament  It’s the bridge between legislators and the executive branch and between the central and the sub-national levels With the society  Organisation of political activities Between government and society :  It anchors(ancrer) democracy, and it has a role of linkage between citizens and government E.g.: with the party on the ground CONTESTING ELECTIONS (taking part of the political competition) They provide candidates. They support candidates E.g.: conducting electoral campaigns,... They formulate policy propositions. RECRUITMENT/SELECTION: Recruitment/selection: They recruit: Looking for candidates. They select: Choosing among these aspirants, putting the right person at the right place.  They integrate new citizens in the political life (ex: party youth movements). REPRESENTATION Spoke’s person of the electorate. Represent social groups (religious, social,...) Represent ideological positions. MODELS OF PARTY ORGANIZATION CADRE/ELITE PARTIES Earliest modern parties (parliamentary origins), in an era of highly restricted suffrage  no need for a party on the ground. Party central office subordinates to party in public office (party central has little importance). Most of the votes were found by mobilizing the own clientele of the MPs. MASS PARTIES Second half of the 19th century (extra-parliamentary origins). They represent a particular group/class (ex: worker class) and are often built on the pre- existing organizations of the group (ex: trade-unions). Their power= numbers (mobilization is easy). Extensive organization dominated by the party’s elite. CATCH-ALL PARTIES: Developed from the transformation of mass parties. Increasing role (compared to members). Weaker ideological orientation within parties; strategy to appeal across group boundaries  Trying to represent different social classes and ideologies.  Loosening connection between the party and its interest organizations (trade- unions,..) CARTEL PARTIES: By the last quarter of the 20th century, catch-all parties were under pressure (because of public debt,...), it led to 4 changes that makes parties “cartel parties”: 70 Agencies of the state rather than of society (reducing the relevance of their role of representation in favour of their role as governor). Disempowering party activists; further privileging professional expertise Parties form a cartel to protect themselves from electoral risks (ex: putting the fault on another agency,...). ANTI-CARTEL PARTIES: Frustration with mainstream parties Organized around an idea rather than a social group. Identified as “left libertarians”, “new right”, “new left”, or “populist”, movement parties. E.g.: “5 stars” in Italia LIGHT PARTIES: A party created by a fortune person  Mobilizing short-term support at election time (= purpose- built).  E.g.: “forza Italia” of Berlusconi. PARTIES IN THE US : Share features of cadre parties: Weak central organization, focused on individual candidates and no formal membership organization  they have “registrants”, people affiliated to the party Candidate selection is run by state-regulated primary elections, where Americans can choose, which candidate is going to run  Leaders of the party have little control over it E.g.: Trump wasn’t very popular among the republicans The majority of the money spent in campaigns is controlled by candidates. MEMBERSHIP Modern parties claim to have a membership organization.  Two forms of membership: o Individual o Affiliated E.g.: people coming from a trade-union of the party are directly members of the party Different ways to measure membership: o Number of members o Ratio of party membership to size of electorate o Organizational density (ratio members to voters). Party membership has been declining but there is a huge difference of membership rates across countries. Will we face parties without members? Yes: “Membership has now reached such a low ebb that it may no longer constitute a relevant indicator of party organisational capacity.” No: Some parties remain committed to high levels of party membership REGULATION AND FINANCES : Parties increasingly subject of legal regulation, defining their position in society/role in democracy, rights (protection and privileges) but also constraints (they are more controlled). Regulation regarding finances: Regulation on spendings (mainly campaigns): Limits on total spendigs, targets (bans on particular forms of spending) and disclosure of spending (=divulgation). Regulation on fundraising: Contributions limits on the size and on the sources (some are barred). Public subventions: Provision of staff, broadcasting time, billboard space, use of public buildings, money, etc... CONCLUSION: the end of political parties? SOME OPEN QUESTIONS: Do parties need some form of democracy to function? What are the indicators that parties are in crisis? Which parties are in crisis? Why? PARTIES FACE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES: Declining party membership, declining identification,... They are less trusted than before. More dependent from contributions of state Increasing role of competing interest organizations, other types of participation/communication  People have other political institutions to trust. New type of ‘light’ parties, movements,... DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALTERNATIVES OF THE PARTIES: A government by experts/technocrats. A modern type of direct democracy (by internet). SOLUTIONS TO THESE CHALLENGES: Try to reconnect with people (ex: by internet, with chatrooms,...). Lowering/changing expectations. Rebranding (=relookage) of parties, new personnel.