1. The functions of parties
Objectives
Describe the main functions of political parties
Identify which are the most significant

2. What is a political party?
A political party is an organised body that seeks to win government power by putting up candidates for election and mobilising popular support.
Their members typically show common ideological beliefs and values.
Parties also attempt to offer policy positions across a range of issues.
However, small parties may not exhibit some of these features.

3. Key factors Include: A common set of beliefs.
An objective to seek power or a share of power.
A commitment to develop policies across most or all of the state’s responsibilities.

4. Features of a Political Party
Seek political power, large ones especially seek governance.
Have to be organised in order to run/to be able to be effective.
Develop policies to secure election of candidates.
Must have strategies to win public support (media, word of mouth etc.)
Must select suitable candidates for election through hustings.
Need a successful and recognisable leader.
Must be democratic and accountable.

5. What are the main functions of political parties?
Description
Aggregation
Parties organise and bring together a variety of demands into a coherent political programme.
Support mobilisation
By supporting the authority of democratic institutions, parties underpin popular consent.
Candidate recruitment
Parties try to ensure that appropriate candidates are selected.
Leadership selection
Parties incorporate systems to give potential leaders experience and to enable them to learn political techniques.
Education and socialisation
Parties bring key issues to public attention, educate the public on those issues and inform the electorate about political debate.
Organising government and parliament
Parties play a key role in ensuring the effective working of political institutions.

6. The main functions of political parties
Represent groups of people - originally class based.
To aggregate demands from different groups in society; involves making policies compatible and consistent.
Develop policies and programmes.
To educate the public on important issues and mobilise voters at election; communication and ideological functions as well as offer a choice of views for the voter to choose from.
To mobilise and reinforce popular consent for the political system; help run elections - leaflets, persuade people to vote, door to door etc.
To recruit candidates for office and identify political leaders.
To organise the business of parliament; ensure the system runs smoothly and follows the law of the system (in our case democracy).

7. Criticisms of Parties
May stifle debate by enforcing uniformity on members.
Can prevent new or radical ideas from developing in order to keep support from the mainstream.
They can be seen to maintain social division (outdated view?).

8. Conclusions
Parties play a key role in:
Reinforcing parliamentary democracy
Administering elections
In organising parliament

9. A Political Party is…
A Political Party is an organisation that develops a set of political goals and policies, which it seeks to convert into political action by obtaining:-
Government office, or
A share in government, or
By influencing the government of the day.
It pursues its goals by mobilising public opinion in its favour, selecting candidates for office, competing at elections and identifying suitable political leaders.
They actively seek political power and the aim to give the general public, or electorate, something to relate to.
Students complete the definition based on their learning so far….

10. Extension work
Describe the importance of British political parties for the following:
The organisation of elections
The organisation of Parliament
Ensuring the accountability of government
[300 words]

11. Question 1: The organisation of elections
Key points are that parties encourage people to register, inform them about elections and encourage them to vote.
Of course, they also organise the nomination of most of the candidates and inform the electorate about them.
In addition, the parties help to ensure that the conduct of elections is fair

12. Question 2:The organisation of Parliament
The parties determine the agenda of parliament.
They organise key speakers and inform MPs and peers about the business of Parliament.
Debates are organised by parties.
They also arrange the personnel of committees.

13. Question 3: Ensuring the accountability of government
This role is carried out largely in Parliament and in the media.
Parties organise parliamentary questions and arrange the work of select committees.
They provide spokespeople for the media when government policy is being scrutinised.
The opposition parties produce alternatives to government policies

14. Exam practice question
Define two functions of a political party
(5 marks)
What is the question asking you to do?
Which assessment objective is being tested here?
What should you do to ensure you secure 5 marks?
Outline TWO roles performed by political parties from the range students have learnt about – they only need to discuss two for 5 marks.
A01 – knowledge and understanding only.
Two separate functions must be discussed

15. Mark scheme
Political parties can be said to fulfil many functions in a democratic political system, some of these include the following:
Parties function to represent their members and support and promote their interests.
Parties also act to formulate polices on a wide range of topics such as the economy, education and foreign affairs.
Parties have a function to contest elections by putting up candidates and creating a manifesto of new policies.
Parties recruit members to provide not only candidates for elections but also officers in government and leaders in a national and local context.
Parties also function to provide education on contemporary topics such as defence and the environment.
In a modern context a major function of political parties is to ensure legislation is passed and service Parliament.