Political Parties: Understanding Their Role in Democracy (Class 10 Civics)

What are Political Parties? An Overview

A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programmes for society with a view to promote the collective good. Since there can be different views on what is good for all, parties try to persuade people why their policies are better than others. They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections. Thus, political parties reflect fundamental political divisions in society. They are about a part of society and thus involve partisanship.

Every political party has three main components:

1. The Leaders: These are the prominent figures who guide the party's ideology, make key decisions, and often become public faces.
2. The Active Members: These individuals participate in party meetings, campaigns, and organisational work, forming the party's core strength.
3. The Followers: These are the voters who support the party's policies and candidates, casting their ballots in favour of the party during elections.

In essence, political parties are crucial for articulating public opinion, providing choices to voters, and forming governments that represent the will of the people.

Key Functions of Political Parties

1. Contest Elections — Parties put forward candidates to contest elections. They nominate candidates through various methods, such as choosing from among their members or collecting suggestions from local party units. These candidates then compete to win seats in legislative bodies.
2. Form and Run Governments — After winning elections, the party or coalition of parties with a majority forms the government. They then implement their policies and programmes. Political parties provide a mechanism through which people can elect their representatives to govern.
3. Play the Role of Opposition — Parties that lose elections play the role of opposition to the government. They constructively criticise government policies, highlight failures, and mobilise public opinion against the government's shortcomings. This keeps the ruling party in check and ensures accountability.
4. Shape Public Opinion — Political parties articulate and publicise various issues and policies. They have thousands of members and activists spread all over the country. They launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by people, thus shaping public opinion on major issues.
5. Provide Access to Government Machinery and Welfare Schemes — For an ordinary citizen, it is easy to approach a local party leader than a government officer. Parties serve as a link between citizens and the government. They help people access government schemes, local authorities, and resources.
6. Provide Policy Choices — In a democracy, a large number of similar opinions have to be grouped together to provide a direction in which policies can be formulated by the government. Parties reduce this vast multitude of opinions into a few basic positions that a government can adopt, thereby offering meaningful choices to voters.

Different Party Systems in Democracies

One-Party System

In this system, only one party is allowed to control and run the government. This is not considered a good option for democracy as it does not provide any real choice to the people. Example: China (Communist Party).

Two-Party System

Here, only two main parties have a serious chance of winning elections and forming the government. While other parties may exist, they rarely win enough seats to form a government on their own. Example: United States (Democrats and Republicans), United Kingdom (Labour and Conservative).

Multi-Party System

If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or through forming alliances, it is known as a multi-party system. India is a classic example of this system, allowing for a wider range of representation.

Major Challenges Faced by Political Parties

• Lack of Internal Democracy: Most parties do not hold regular internal elections, and ordinary members do not have sufficient information or say in key decisions. Power is often concentrated in the hands of a few top leaders.
• Dynastic Succession: Power tends to pass on to family members of top leaders. This deprives other members of the party of a fair chance to rise and is bad for democracy, as merit and capability are often ignored in favour of family connections.
• Money and Muscle Power: Parties often use money power (large donations from wealthy individuals/companies) and muscle power (criminals contesting elections or intimidating voters) to win elections, leading to corruption and a decline in democratic values.
• Lack of Meaningful Choice: Often, there isn't a significant ideological difference between major parties, especially on economic policies. This limits voters' choices and can lead to political apathy.
• Growing Role of Criminalisation: The increasing nexus between politicians and criminals, where parties give tickets to candidates with criminal records, seriously undermines the credibility of the political system.

Reforming Political Parties: Strengthening Democracy

Political parties are essential, but they also need reform to function more effectively and democratically. Here are some key measures and suggestions to strengthen political parties, which are frequently asked in exams:

• Anti-defection Law: An amendment to the Constitution was made to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties frequently. If an MLA or MP changes party, they lose their seat in the legislature. This helps in checking defection driven by personal gain.
• Affidavit of Assets and Criminal Cases: The Supreme Court mandated that every candidate contesting elections must file an affidavit giving details of their property and criminal cases pending against them. This information is made public, allowing voters to make informed choices.
• Mandatory Income Tax Returns: The Election Commission made it compulsory for political parties to file their income tax returns, making their financial transactions more transparent.
• Regulation of Internal Affairs: Suggestions include making it mandatory for political parties to maintain a register of their members, to follow their own constitution, to have an independent authority to act as an arbiter in case of disputes, and to hold open elections for the highest posts.
• State Funding of Elections: The government could give parties money to support their election expenses, for example, in kind (petrol, paper, telephone, etc.) or in cash based on the votes secured by the party in the last election. This would curb the influence of money power from private sources.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: What are the three main components of a political party? A: Step 1: Recall the definition of a political party and its structure. Step 2: Identify the essential groups within any political organisation. Final answer: The three main components of a political party are the Leaders, the Active Members, and the Followers.
• Q: Explain the 'opposition' function of political parties in a democracy. A: Step 1: Define what happens to parties that do not win elections. Step 2: Describe their role regarding the ruling government. Final answer: Parties that lose elections play the role of opposition. They criticise the government's policies and failures, voice dissenting opinions, and mobilise public support against unfair or inefficient governmental decisions. This ensures that the ruling party remains accountable and responsive to the public.
• Q: Give two reasons why a one-party system is not considered a good option for a democracy. A: Step 1: Consider the core principle of democracy: choice and representation. Step 2: Think about what a one-party system lacks in terms of these principles. Final answer: A one-party system is not good for democracy because, firstly, it does not provide citizens with any real choice among different political ideologies or leaders. Secondly, it often leads to authoritarian rule, where the single party monopolises power and suppresses dissent, undermining fundamental democratic freedoms.
• Q: How does the Anti-defection Law help in reforming political parties? A: Step 1: Define what 'defection' means in a political context. Step 2: Explain the consequence for elected representatives under this law. Final answer: The Anti-defection Law helps in reforming political parties by preventing elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from changing their political parties frequently after being elected. If they switch parties, they lose their seat, which discourages political opportunism and strengthens party discipline, ensuring that representatives remain loyal to the mandate given by the voters to their original party.
• Q: Mention two challenges faced by political parties regarding internal democracy. A: Step 1: Consider how decisions are made within parties and who holds power. Step 2: Think about issues related to member participation and leadership selection. Final answer: Two challenges faced by political parties regarding internal democracy are: 1. Lack of Regular Internal Elections: Many parties do not hold regular organisational elections, or the elections are not truly democratic, meaning ordinary members have little say in decision-making. 2. Dynastic Succession: Power is often concentrated in the hands of a few top leaders and tends to be passed on to their family members, preventing other capable members from rising through the ranks based on merit.

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