political parties as politics. political parties and the need for them what are political parties?...
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Political PartiesPolitical Parties
AS PoliticsAS Politics
Political Parties and the Political Parties and the need for themneed for them
What are political What are political parties?parties?
Why are parties Why are parties important to democracy?important to democracy?
What are the different What are the different types of party systems?types of party systems?
Is it correct to describe Is it correct to describe Britain as having a two Britain as having a two party system?party system?
Benefits and Benefits and disadvantages of two disadvantages of two party systemsparty systems
The Functions of The Functions of Political PartiesPolitical Parties
Sift Ideas and Organise OpinionSift Ideas and Organise Opinion
Source of Political KnowledgeSource of Political Knowledge
Link between individual and political Link between individual and political systemsystem
Mobilise and recruit activistsMobilise and recruit activists
Serve as source of oppositionServe as source of opposition
Party SystemsParty Systems
One PartyOne Party
Two Party SystemsTwo Party Systems
Dominant Party Dominant Party systemssystems
Multi Party Multi Party SystemsSystems
Identify reasons why Identify reasons why uses of FPTP uses of FPTP encourages the encourages the development of a development of a two party systemtwo party system
What factors exist What factors exist that have created that have created and sustained the and sustained the British Two Party British Two Party SystemSystem
Britain and the First Past Britain and the First Past the Post Systemthe Post System
Tendency for opinions Tendency for opinions to be ‘for’ or ‘against’to be ‘for’ or ‘against’
The electoral systemThe electoral system
Existence of broad Existence of broad catch all partiescatch all parties
Emphasis on being in Emphasis on being in government or government or oppositionopposition
Traditional absence of Traditional absence of deep ethnic, linguistic, deep ethnic, linguistic, religious differences religious differences within the populationwithin the population
Problems faced by Problems faced by third or other partiesthird or other parties
Advantages of Britain’s Two Advantages of Britain’s Two Party SystemParty System
It promotes stable, It promotes stable, effective and strong effective and strong governmentsgovernments
Simplifies voter choiceSimplifies voter choice
Government is clearly Government is clearly accountable to the accountable to the electorateelectorate
Moderation is Moderation is encouraged encouraged
Disadvantages Disadvantages It restricts voter choiceIt restricts voter choice
Far from promoting Far from promoting moderation, it can be moderation, it can be sometimes be sometimes be characterised by characterised by adversary politicsadversary politics
A growing A growing dissatisfaction with the dissatisfaction with the performance of the performance of the main partiesmain parties
British Political PartiesBritish Political Parties Conservative PartyConservative Party
Roots in C17Roots in C17thth ‘Tories’; dates from 1830s ‘Tories’; dates from 1830s Traditional conservatism Traditional conservatism Thatcherism Thatcherism
Labour PartyLabour Party Founded in 1900Founded in 1900 Socialist ideology Socialist ideology Social liberalism? Social liberalism?
Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats Roots in C18Roots in C18thth-19-19thth Whigs – Liberal Party from 1868 Whigs – Liberal Party from 1868 Liberal ideology – free tradeLiberal ideology – free trade SDP-Liberal Alliance (1981-88) SDP-Liberal Alliance (1981-88) Lib Dems Lib Dems
Other partiesOther parties Celtic nationalist parties in Scotland, Wales, NICeltic nationalist parties in Scotland, Wales, NI Minor parties (e.g. UKIP, BNP, Greens)Minor parties (e.g. UKIP, BNP, Greens)
What Shapes the Party What Shapes the Party System? (1): InstitutionsSystem? (1): Institutions
Electoral system: Duverger’s law (1960’s – Electoral system: Duverger’s law (1960’s – French Sociologist)French Sociologist)
‘‘An almost complete correlation is observable between the An almost complete correlation is observable between the simple-majority single-ballot system and the two-party simple-majority single-ballot system and the two-party system’system’
‘‘Mechanical effect’ – third parties win few seats because Mechanical effect’ – third parties win few seats because must be first-placedmust be first-placed
‘‘Psychological effect’ – voters deterred from ‘wasting’ votes Psychological effect’ – voters deterred from ‘wasting’ votes on small partieson small parties
PR tends to favour multi-partismPR tends to favour multi-partism FPTP doesn’t FPTP doesn’t alwaysalways create 2-party systems create 2-party systems
UK – FPTP manufactures majorities for Lab or UK – FPTP manufactures majorities for Lab or ConCon
Hinders third party – unless regionally-concentrated supportHinders third party – unless regionally-concentrated support Not the case for Lib Dems (though Scotland & SW England)Not the case for Lib Dems (though Scotland & SW England)
What Explains the What Explains the Erosion of the Two-Party Erosion of the Two-Party
System?System? Key election: February 1974Key election: February 1974
Loss of faith in two main parties – Liberals benefitedLoss of faith in two main parties – Liberals benefited Rise of Celtic nationalist partiesRise of Celtic nationalist parties
1980s: Labour’s civil war1980s: Labour’s civil war SDP-Liberal Alliance 1981-87SDP-Liberal Alliance 1981-87 Labour’s shift to left – abandoned centre-ground to AllianceLabour’s shift to left – abandoned centre-ground to Alliance
1997-2005: Discrediting of Conservatives1997-2005: Discrediting of Conservatives Lib-Lab tactical voting to defeat ToriesLib-Lab tactical voting to defeat Tories Minor parties and nationalists: 10% of votes in 2005 Minor parties and nationalists: 10% of votes in 2005
electionelection
2005-present: Re-emergence of 2-party 2005-present: Re-emergence of 2-party politics?politics?
Lib Dems being squeezed by Labour and Tories?Lib Dems being squeezed by Labour and Tories?
UK General Elections 1945-UK General Elections 1945-20052005
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
F
1974
O19
7919
8319
8719
9219
9720
0120
05
%
Conservative Labour
Liberal Others
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
F
1974
O19
7919
8319
8719
9219
9720
0120
05
%
Conservative Labour
Liberal Others
% Votes Won by Each Party % Seats Won by Each Party
Erosion of the 2-Party SystemErosion of the 2-Party System
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1945
1950
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974
F
1974
O19
7919
8319
8719
9219
9720
0120
05
%
Conservative + Labour (Votes)
Liberals + Others (Votes)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
%
Conservative + Labour (Seats)
Liberals + Others (Seats)