Political Opinion-making
Parties articulate and aggregate social interests: Parties express public expectations and demands of social groups to the political system
In this way, parties form one voice that represents its members to the government and the rest of society.
Policy Formulation: Developing Political Programmes
Parties offer suggestions on public policy. Parties research and discuss ways that the government could manage the country (better), and then present these ideas to the public. These ideas and suggestions are known as a party’s ‘programme’.
Political parties integrate various interests into a set of general political policies and transform it into a political programme, for which they campaign to receive the consent and support of a majority. The policy goals outlined in party programmes give voters a clear options to vote on when choosing which parties should be in government.
A manifesto is a document that outlines a party’s suggestions for better public policies in a specific election. Manifestos include political goals and details of steps that the party will take to achieve their goals if they enter government. Parties develop their manifestos by reaching out to voters in order to include their input into policy formulation.
When political parties present their manifestos to the people, they need to explain them. This requires political education and awareness raising about the issues addressed in their manifesto. This helps to give people a better understanding of the current situation by providing information about social and political problems and explaining their causes and effects.
Manifestos also describe how the party’s policies would solve these problems. Opposition party manifestos might also explain how the current government’s policies are failing to solve these problems. This is an important part of democratic politics because it supports pluralism and public debate.
Choosing and Supporting Candidates in Elections
Selection of Leaders and Representatives
Political parties recruit political personnel, select and train future generations of politicians: They select persons and present them as candidates for elections. When there is an election for a position in government, parties select members and support them in their election campaign. Parties choose candidates in different ways. In some countries, such as the USA, a party’s members choose its candidates. In other countries, like India, party leaders often choose which party members will contest an election. After a candidate is chosen, parties help them to organise their election campaign.
During the campaign, the party assists its candidates in different ways. Party workers might give information to the media, write speeches or do research. This helps candidates to understand the needs and concerns of the voters and communicate them effectively. Other party members might hand out pamphlets, put up posters or organise events. These activities are very important to mobilise public support at the grassroots level.
Acting as a Bridge Between the Government and the People
Socialization and Participation
Political parties promote the political socialisation and participation of citizens: Parties create a link between citizens and the political system; they enable political participation of individuals and groups with the prospect of success. Parties can provide people with opportunities to express their ambitions, needs and concerns to the government by joining or supporting political parties or by influencing their policies and/or programmes as members of the party.
The Articulation and Aggregation of Interests
“Articulation” means expressing the specific views, needs or concerns of a group to the rest of society and the government. “Aggregation” means gathering the interests, needs and concerns of diverse citizens and expressing them collectively. Political parties listen to the concerns of their supporters and bring them to the government with a louder, clearer voice.
Promoting Stability in Politics
Exercising Political Power Function
Political parties participate in elections to occupy political positions in government. In democracies, a good part of government authorities arise from political parties. Parties can promote stability by developing political leaders. Political parties provide their members with training and the experience of political leadership. By taking part in party politics, professional politicians get the skills, knowledge and experience that are needed to lead government ministries.
The Organising Government Function
In government, political parties can form coalitions that usually can be relied on to share goals and opinions about what the government should do. This makes decision-making easier as it reduces the options, views and objections that might be expressed during parliamentary debates to a manageable level so that meaningful progress can be made in parliament.
Some people argue that parties make politics more organised. This is because parties are able to present well-researched suggestions that represent the opinions of large groups of people. If party members all share the same opinion about a policy decision, it makes it easier for legislatures to make decisions quickly and effectively.
Legitimating Function
Political parties contribute to the legitimacy of the political system: in establishing the connection between citizens, social groupings and the political system, the parties contribute to anchoring the political order in the consciousness of the citizens and in social forces.
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Important Functions of Political Parties Internal tasks
External tasks
Source: Becoming a better politician: political skills manual |