Parties and liberal democracy Party functions

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Why parties? E.E. Schattschneider’s dictum: Without parties, There can be no democracy True or untrue? True or untrue?

Democracy with parties Provincial politics Provincial politics Federal politics in Canada Federal politics in Canada British politics at all levels British politics at all levels American politics American politics Limitations of democracy with parties: Two party contexts Two party contexts Multiparty contexts Multiparty contexts

Democracy without parties Most municipal governments in Canada Most municipal governments in Canada Some municipal governments in the US Some municipal governments in the US Nunnevut Nunnevut Nunnastiat Nunnastiat Others? Others? Referendum democracy Referendum democracy

What do parties do? Party functions Linkage Linkage Linking citizens and the state Linking citizens and the state Linking parliament and the executive Linking parliament and the executive Recruitment: nominating candidates helps staff elective offices Recruitment: nominating candidates helps staff elective offices Structuring the vote: competition provides voters with choice Structuring the vote: competition provides voters with choice Organizing the legislature Organizing the legislature Linking parliaments and executives Linking parliaments and executives Stabilizing the system? Stabilizing the system?

Recruitment Party-based v. party-less recruitment: what difference does it make? Examples of party-based recruitment? Examples of party-based recruitment? Examples of party-less recruitment? Examples of party-less recruitment?

Structuring the vote In what ways do parties structure the vote? Party identifications, partisan loyalties.. Party identifications, partisan loyalties.. Posing alternatives Posing alternatives

Organizing the legislature What happens if legislatures are not organized? Impact on elections and the function of structuring the vote? Impact on elections and the function of structuring the vote? Impact on executive-legislative relations? Impact on executive-legislative relations? Impact on cabinet stability? Impact on cabinet stability?

Some questions: Are parties the only structures which perform these functions? Are parties the only structures which perform these functions? Is democracy possible without political parties? Is democracy possible without political parties? Is democracy possible with political parties? Is democracy possible with political parties? How do you know that parties are performing these functions? How do you know that parties are performing these functions? What happens if certain functions are not performed (or are performed badly)? What happens if certain functions are not performed (or are performed badly)?