Chapter 11: ‘PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS’
A political party is a group of people that is organized for the purpose of
winning government power by electoral or other means. They:
i) Aim to exercise government power by winning political office
ii) Organized bodies with a formal ‘card carrying’ membership
iii) Broad issue focus addressing each of the areas of government policy
united by shared political preferences and a general ideological
identity
Authoritarian or democratic; power through election or revolution
The development of political parties as a mark of political modernization,
1970s decline with the spread of military rule
upsurge of democratization since the 1980s led to a flourishing in
parties
Mass politics: representative government
‘court parties’: within autocratic monarchies as a result of the
struggle for influence of notables and advisers
Cadre vs Mass
o Cadre: a party of notables dominated by an informal group of leaders
who saw little point in forming a mass organization. To denote trained
and professional party members expected to exhibit political commitment
and discipline (+/- 1860)
reliance on politically active elite to influence ideologically the
masses
small electorate
collaboration between groups of like-minded representatives
groups loosely organized round the idea of the general interest
try to restrict outside access
develop into political factions campaigning in elections and
obtain features of a party
o Mass (the only parties equipped for programmatic function): emphasis on
broadening membership and constructing a wide electoral base. They
place stress on recruitment and organization rather on ideology and
political conviction (+/- 1900)
originated as social movements
focus on interests of specific groups and articulate oppositions
in society to parliaments to represent them
formulate coherent ideology informed by worldview
, membership organizations
require organizational structure on the basis of territorial
characteristics and background one like youth, trade unions in the
party, women in the party etc & auxiliary organizations
democratically organized but top-down decision making
‘catch all parties’(1960s) =transformation of existing mass
parties = parties that reduce their ideological baggage in order to
appeal to the largest possible number of voters. They emphasize
leadership and unity and downgrade the role of individual party
members in trying to build up coalitions of support rather than
relying on a particular social class. Focus on the general interest,
downplay oppositions in society
electorally driven machines to collect the most possible
votes
large and open professional organizations: more like a
business mode
Cartel parties eg. Le pen et l’UMPS: colluding parties
become agents of the state and employ its resources to
ensure their own survival
party as an extension of the state
focus on governing
financial dependence on the state
minimal and closed but professional organization
shielding the market from competition
Representative vs integrative
o Representative: Attempt to reflect rather than shape public opinion.
Pragmatism>principle
Market research> popular mobilization
rational choice political behaviour: politicians as power seeking
to adopt whatever policies which will bring electoral success
o Integrative: proactive (προληπτικά) rather than reactive political
strategies; to mobilize and educate the masses rather than only to
correspond their concerns
Constitutional and revolutionary
o Constitutional: acknowledge the rights of other parties and operate within
rules and constraints.
respect in electoral competition
o Revolutionary: anti system or anti constitutional aim to seize power and
overthrow the constitutional structure
A political party is a group of people that is organized for the purpose of
winning government power by electoral or other means. They:
i) Aim to exercise government power by winning political office
ii) Organized bodies with a formal ‘card carrying’ membership
iii) Broad issue focus addressing each of the areas of government policy
united by shared political preferences and a general ideological
identity
Authoritarian or democratic; power through election or revolution
The development of political parties as a mark of political modernization,
1970s decline with the spread of military rule
upsurge of democratization since the 1980s led to a flourishing in
parties
Mass politics: representative government
‘court parties’: within autocratic monarchies as a result of the
struggle for influence of notables and advisers
Cadre vs Mass
o Cadre: a party of notables dominated by an informal group of leaders
who saw little point in forming a mass organization. To denote trained
and professional party members expected to exhibit political commitment
and discipline (+/- 1860)
reliance on politically active elite to influence ideologically the
masses
small electorate
collaboration between groups of like-minded representatives
groups loosely organized round the idea of the general interest
try to restrict outside access
develop into political factions campaigning in elections and
obtain features of a party
o Mass (the only parties equipped for programmatic function): emphasis on
broadening membership and constructing a wide electoral base. They
place stress on recruitment and organization rather on ideology and
political conviction (+/- 1900)
originated as social movements
focus on interests of specific groups and articulate oppositions
in society to parliaments to represent them
formulate coherent ideology informed by worldview
, membership organizations
require organizational structure on the basis of territorial
characteristics and background one like youth, trade unions in the
party, women in the party etc & auxiliary organizations
democratically organized but top-down decision making
‘catch all parties’(1960s) =transformation of existing mass
parties = parties that reduce their ideological baggage in order to
appeal to the largest possible number of voters. They emphasize
leadership and unity and downgrade the role of individual party
members in trying to build up coalitions of support rather than
relying on a particular social class. Focus on the general interest,
downplay oppositions in society
electorally driven machines to collect the most possible
votes
large and open professional organizations: more like a
business mode
Cartel parties eg. Le pen et l’UMPS: colluding parties
become agents of the state and employ its resources to
ensure their own survival
party as an extension of the state
focus on governing
financial dependence on the state
minimal and closed but professional organization
shielding the market from competition
Representative vs integrative
o Representative: Attempt to reflect rather than shape public opinion.
Pragmatism>principle
Market research> popular mobilization
rational choice political behaviour: politicians as power seeking
to adopt whatever policies which will bring electoral success
o Integrative: proactive (προληπτικά) rather than reactive political
strategies; to mobilize and educate the masses rather than only to
correspond their concerns
Constitutional and revolutionary
o Constitutional: acknowledge the rights of other parties and operate within
rules and constraints.
respect in electoral competition
o Revolutionary: anti system or anti constitutional aim to seize power and
overthrow the constitutional structure
