1. Definition
of Political Parties
Various
celebrated authors have defined political parties as under:
a. Edmund
Burke
A
political party as "a body of men united for promoting the national
interests upon some particular principle I which they are agreed".
b. Professor
Gettle
A
political party is groups of citizens more of less organized, who act as a
political unit and who by the use of their political power aim at controlling
the government and carrying out their policies.
2. History
of the American Political Parties
The
Founding Fathers considered political parties to be undesirable and dangerous
to the power of the State. George Washington had advised Americans to avoid
party politics. However, modern democratic government is impossible without
political parties. Democratic government is party government. Political parties
come into existence because in public affairs there can be no unanimity of opinion
people think and act not in one way but in many ways. Persons sharing the same
views regarding public matters join together and form a political party in
order to capture power.
a. Emergence
of Political parties in America
Parties
emerged in America soon after the promulgation of the Constitution on the issue
of a strong national government versus State rights. Political parties have
always been in America in one form or the, other. Before the war of American
Independence there were "Loyalists" and "Patriots". The
former preached loyalty to the British Crown and the latter worked for
independence. After independence the old parties or groups disappeared and two
new parties emerged one in favour of a strong Centre and the other in favour of
"state rights" and weak Centre those who supported a strong central
government called themselves Federalists and those who distrusted 'a strong
central government and stood for "state rights" called themselves
Anti-Federalists and later on Democrats. The Federalists later on assumed a new
name Republicans.
b.
The Democratic Party
Initially
it was Federalists Party. In 1824, its names were changed to Democratic Party
and the same name continues till today. The historic roots of the Democratic
Party are in the southern States of American. The symbol of this party is a
donkey.
c.
The Republican Party
The
Republican Party is the direct successor of the Federalists and the Whigs. It
is known as Grand Old Party. The Republican Party is traditionally symbolized
by an elephant.
d.
Separation of powers & Political Parties
The
American political system is based on the principle of separation of powers.
There is possibility of non cooperation between the President and the Congress.
Such conflict is avoided by the party system which acts as a bridge between the
executive and legislature. American political parties, give to administration a
single driving force, a common outlook and direction and the possibility of
creative government.
3. Distinction
between the American Parties
In
England or Pakistan, the political parties are divided on the basis of
principles. For example, the Conservatives and Labour parties in England have
clearly distinct programmers and policies. We find that the conservatives and
the Labour parties are divided on the basis of definite economic principles.
There are not such fundamental doctrinal differences between the two major
political parties in the United States. Major political parties of the United
States have all shades of opinion represented on them. Each Party has
conservatives, liberal's socialists in ranks.
a. D.S.
Jordan says
There
is no essential difference between the Republican parties as regards
principles. They are like two hogs, one a large fellow with both, feet in the
rough, the other a lean restless brute doing his best to get an opening for
himself. The trough represents the ultimate consumer.
b. Hymen
According
to Hymen: "The idea of a pure Conservative Party and a 'pure liberal party
in America, the, has the same air gun as a plan to have mountain range without
valleys or a river without banks, of themselves, mountains imply valley as
rivers imply banks. And the same is of our party life. So long as we don't like
a welter of one interests or ideological parties, by the very nature of our
diversity each party will and must have a mixed character. In particular this
must' be true under our federal arrangement where the legislative impulse is
designed to come from below, and not from above as in England.
c. Sidney
Hyman
"The
democrats and Republicans differ on measures that can:
(i) put
more people to work
(ii)
create a climate that will spur private employers to produce more:
(iii)
give to all hands a fair share of what is produced when the system fails to dot
that;
(iv)
police that part of the productive plant in which the public has an interest as
distinct from the right of ownership of management;
(v) conserve
the nations resources for the future while meeting the industrial needs of the
present, and
(vi)
distribute fairly the human and material costs of national efforts like defense
programmers which save the rich and poor alike.
4. Functions performed by political Parties in general
In
general a political party performs these functions
a. To
select public issues and present them to the electorate
Every
issue begins with the birth of an idea in some body's mind. The new idea is
presently transformed into a proposal of legislation. It is advocated and
pressed forward by its friends; in due course it becomes, a new idea is
presently transformed into a proposal of legislation; it is pluck in a party
platform, and thus evolves into a political issue.
An
election under the 'party system is a referendum on public issues. The
political opinions of individual voters are widely diversified. To make group
opinion effective, it is necessary to find some common ground. It is the
function of a party organization to find this common ground.
b. Selection
of candidates
The
political parties nominate candidates for public office. The party organizations
maintain selective machinery for this purpose. It consists of party committees,
conventions, primaries and so on. The party politics is the way of getting the
lists of candidates narrowed down to a point where one of them has a chance of
becoming the majority choice.
c.
Collective Political Responsibility
The
party serves as a guarantor pledging its own good faith and reputation, at
times staking its very existences upon the ability and integrity of the men
whom it places in nomination for public office. Party leaders hardly' neglect
to remind the people of the distinguished personalities whom the party has put
into office from time to time.
d.
Political Education
Political
parties render great service in the field of political education. They
stimulate discussion, by filling the new papers with their statement and
counter statements, their claims and counter-claims. Their preachments and
propaganda. They attract the attention of the people by their rallies, radio
broadcasts, parades demonstrations and straw votes; they bombard the voters
with their circulars and campaign literature.
5. Salient Features of American political parties
Some
important characteristics of t are given below:-
(i) American
political parties American parties are not ideologically divided into two
opposite camps nor both differ diametrically on basic national issues.
(ii)
The old basis on which they were built up no longer exists. Both parties adjust
their policies to current circumstances; they cannot be exactly classified
under the left-and-right pattern.
(iii)
In America there is only one party; Democratic party, divided into two nearly
equal halves by habit to contest office".
(iv)
The Democratic and the Republication parties are like the two bottles each
bearing a label which denotes the kind of juice Each party makes many it
contains, but both are empty. Each party
makes many vague promises to all sorts of people and economic interests at the
time of elections.
(v)
The American political parities lack discipline.
(vi)
There is a good deal of cross-voting in Congress. Party leaders are not able to
impose discipline upon their followers. Congressmen enjoy more freedom of
speech within the chambers. That is 'lack of uniformity in respect of policy
formulation and political modes within the same party.
(vii)
The members of Congress also give much importance to safeguarding their
respective regional interests and talk 41 little about a coherent and uniform
policy.
6. Unique
role to be played be the American Parties
The
American political parties are known for their elaborate organization and
strength. They play a very marvelous role in the American politics as well as
the American society, which has been unprecedented across the globe. The
following factors are responsible for this:
(i) In
United States, elections are held frequently. Political parties select
candidates for the different offices and in t way they make the task of voters
easy.
(ii)
The American Constitution is based upon the theory of Separation of powers.
Parties normally harmonize these two branches to the American Government. They
break the rigidity of separation of powers.
(iii)
The large are of the country also requires that there should be a strong
political organization.
(iv)
Emergence of political parties, ruled out at the time of constitution. Parties
had their growth after the enforcement of the Constitution. As a result, this
affected and shaped the political process and political institutions.
7. Two
Party system
Apart
from two big parties, there exist a number of smaller ones but these are not
very effective. Rather certain American states have put limitations on the
emergence of a third party. For instance, in the state of Illinois, the
signatures of twenty five thousands voters are legally required, in support of
the creation of a third party.
8. Points
of differences
(i) Republican
party believed in tax concessions for low income groups, whereas Democrats did
not want to introduce drastic changes in the taxation policies.
(ii)
Republicans intended to safeguard the agrarian interests while Democrats wanted
agricultural development through raising the prices of agricultural
commodities.
(iii)
Republicans did not believe in increasing the wages in the industrial fields';
while Democratic party wanted just the reverse and stood for the repeal of old
laws' for the realization of this goal.
(iv)
As far centre-state relations, Republican Party wanted to give maximum aid and
support to state governments. Democrats, on the other hand, prefer to rely on
increased sphere of national government's responsibilities.
9. Organization
of the political parties
a.
Precint Committees
Precint
Committees are organized in a particular area but the basic consideration is
the population and not the vastness 'of area. Chairman of the Precint Committee
is called Captain who acts as a link between the voters and the party organization.
b.
The Ward Committee
Every
Ward comprises approximately six to twenty Precints and its committees consist
of the Captains of Precint Committees. The important function of the Ward
leader is to coordinate and supervise the Precint committees within its jurisdiction.
c.
The city Central Committee
The city.
Each party has its organization works in almost all the cities that work under
the supervision of a Central Committee. Every Ward is represented in the City
Central Committee by its elected representatives.
d.
The Count Committee
In the
rural areas, party is organized in the form of County. Committee which is organized
in the form of country Committee which is the next stage after Precint. County
Committees hold their meetings after regular intervals and become more active
during elections.
e. Congress
District Committee
This
branch of the party is organized in every electoral district and every County
Committee sends one or two representatives in it.
f.
State Central Committee
State
Central Committee is formed in every state comprising representative from Congress
District Committees or from party branches within, the respective state.
g.
National Committee
At
the top of party hierarchy stands National Convention in which every state and
every region is given proper representation. National Convention conducts
-general supervision of party organization and its activities on nation-wide
bases. The Chairman acts as a link between political office holders and the
party cells and informs the Committee about needs and problems of party
branches.
h. Party
committees in the Congress
Each
party constitutes a Congress Committee and a Senate Committee. Both these
committees become more active during the elections of both Houses of the
Congress.
i. Party
Organization within Congress
Party
discipline within the chambers of Congress, is not as rigid as it exists in a
parliamentary set-up. The organization within the legislative chambers is
called Caucus. Party Caucus chalks out a definite policy to be followed in
respect of all on the agenda. In fact, the output of each Chamber is dependent
on the decisions of Party Caucuses.
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