Political Parties and Party System – SS1 Government Lesson Note (Third Term)

A political party is an organised group of individuals sharing a similar ideology about how to serve the national interest and seeking to acquire governmental power to run the affairs of a state. Unlike pressure groups, it aims to control the government machinery.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define a political party;
2. describe the types of political parties, with examples;
3. state the functions of political parties;
4. distinguish between political parties and pressure groups;
5. name and explain the one-party, two-party and multi-party systems.

What is a political party?

A political party is an organised group that seeks to win elections and form the government of a state.

The aim of controlling the government machinery is the major factor that distinguishes a political party from similar groups in the political system, such as pressure groups.

Key terms

• Ideology: a set of beliefs and ideas about how a country should be run.
• Manifesto: a written statement of what a party promises to do if it wins an election.
• Electorate: all the citizens who are qualified to vote.
• Franchise: the right to vote in elections.

Main features of a political party

• Organisation: it has a name, a constitution, offices and defined leaders.
• Common ideology: members share similar views on how the state should be governed.
• Manifesto: it presents its plans and promises to the electorate.
• Candidates: it sponsors members to contest elections.
• Aim: it seeks to win power and run the government.

What are the types of political parties?

There are five types of political parties: mass, elite, broker, charismatic and religious parties.

1. Mass party: The party emphasises large membership, so requirements for membership are either very easy or non-existent, e.g. the Communist Party in China. It developed in response to the extension of the franchise. The manifesto emphasises people’s welfare.
2. Elite party: It developed at a time when the franchise was restricted. It comprises trained and professional party members who are expected to exhibit a high sense of political commitment and discipline. They believe it is their exclusive right to control the government, e.g. PDP (Nigeria).
3. Broker party: It is a party for both the rich and the poor, bridging the gap between the two. It promotes equality and the welfare of the people.
4. Charismatic party: It is formed by and evolves around a unique and enviable character who is the unit of attraction for other members, e.g. UPN and PRP (Second Republic) and NCP (Fourth Republic).
5. Religious party: It is a party formed along religious lines, which depends on the religious doctrines in a country.

What are the functions of political parties?

The functions of political parties are the roles they play in running the political life of a state.

1. They articulate, that is, advance the interests of the different groups in a society.
2. They aggregate, that is, collate together and advance the differing opinions, views and ideas in a society.
3. They serve as agents of political socialisation and education.
4. They recruit and train political leaders for the state.
5. They mobilise the people for political activities and for discharging their obligations to the state.
6. They unite people of different cultures, languages and religions.
7. They formulate policies and programmes that often become the goals of government and society.
8. Opposition parties serve as watchdogs and a check on the government in power.
9. They form the government upon winning an election.
10. They facilitate peaceful change of government.

What is a party system?

A party system is the way political parties are organised and compete for power in a country. There are three main party systems: one-party, two-party and multi-party.

One-party system

A one-party system is one in which only one political party is allowed to exist and rule.

• Examples: China and Cuba.
• Advantage: decisions can be taken quickly and the cost of elections is low.
• Disadvantage: there is no opposition to check the government.
• Disadvantage: citizens have little freedom to choose their leaders.

Two-party system

A two-party system is one in which two major parties compete for power and take turns to govern.

• Examples: the United States (Democratic and Republican parties) and the SDP and NRC in Nigeria’s Third Republic.
• Advantage: voters have a clear choice and government is usually stable.
• Disadvantage: the views of smaller groups may be ignored.
• Disadvantage: voters may feel they have too few choices.

Multi-party system

A multi-party system is one in which more than two parties compete freely for power.

• Example: Nigeria in the Fourth Republic, where many parties contest elections.
• Advantage: voters have a wide choice and many groups are represented.
• Disadvantage: votes are split, so a party may win without a clear majority.
• Disadvantage: governments formed by coalition may be unstable.

How do political parties differ from pressure groups?

A political party is an organised group that seeks to win elections and control the government.

A pressure group is an organised body that tries to influence government policy without seeking to take power. Examples are trade unions and professional associations such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Evaluation

1. One of the functions of political parties is
   (a) forming a trade union (b) opposing the passage of bills into laws (c) serving as watchdogs (d) influencing government policies
2. Limited membership is an example of
   (a) a broker party (b) a mass party (c) an elite party (d) a religious party
3. The primary objective of all political parties is to
   (a) act as watchdog (b) educate the electorate (c) eradicate corruption in public life (d) control the government
4. The party that emphasises large membership is called
   (a) elite party (b) zero party (c) mass party (d) broker party
5. While political parties aim at forming a government, pressure groups aim at
   (a) causing social unrest (b) influencing government decisions (c) imposing military rule (d) capturing power

Assignment

Discuss the functions of political parties.