SS1 GOVERNMENT
3rd Term
5th Week
POLITICAL
PARTIES
Definition:
A political
party is defined as an organized group of people with at least
roughly similar political aims
and opinions, and seeking to influence public policy by getting its candidates
elected into public offices.
Types
1.
Elitist
parties: this is made up of political elites that are interested in contesting
for elections. Ordinary people in such party are there only to assist in
election campaigns.
2.
Mass parties:
this is for all and sundry. They recruit new members who are the source of
party income and are often expected to spread party ideology as well as assist
in elections.
3.
Religious
parties: they seek political power in order to make public policies that align
to their religious ideals.
4.
Charismatic
party: this party is founded on the charisma of their leader and founder.
Features
1.
Agreement: there must be agreement among its
members
2.
Organization: its activities are strategic and
organized, not spontaneous
3.
Aim Political power: its aim must be to seize
political power either at the local, state or central level
4.
Partisanship: they require their members to be
inclined to the party’s interest
5.
Voluntary membership: they appeal to the
public for membership
6.
Ideology: they must have a particular ideology
which they intend to promote through political power
7.
Manifesto: they must have a list of things
they intend to achieve during their tenure if voted into power
Functions
1.
To streamline the miscellaneous ideas of the
masses into their mainstream ideologies
2.
To contest during election against an
opposition
3.
To present a candidate for election
4.
They bring people together to achieve control
of the government
5.
They develop policies favorable to their
interests or the groups that support them
6.
They organize and persuade voters to elect
their candidates into office
Party
manifestoes and its importance
Party manifesto is
a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the
political party. It is
important in the following ways:
1.
It is used to entice or persuade the public to
vote for the candidate
2.
It gives the party members a sense of
direction
3.
It reduces the universality of the party’s
ideology to particular needs of the people
4.
It helps members of the public to know what to
expect
5.
It helps members of the public to assess the
party with respect to the other parties
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