PARTY SYSTEM
Name: Pratishtha Nathwani
Roll no: 20
Class : 12th B Arts
Computer code : 234654
Subject : Political Science
Index
1 Acknowledgement
2 Introduction
3 Reason for choosing the topic
4 Research question / objective
5 Literature review
6 Methodology
Main essay:
1. A brief timeline of Party Systems since independence to be prepared.
2. Strengths and limitations of different systems to be highlighted.
7 3. Comparative analysis of merits and demerits of the three party systems
4. Few examples
5. Student's vision of rapidly evolving Party system in India.
8 Conclusion
9 Bibliography
Acknowledgement
I would like to start my project on Political Science by expressing gratitude to my
principal Mr. Shayne McPherson and our junior college dean Miss Madhu Hora who
gave me a wonderful opportunity to do this Political Science project on the topic
“Party System”. She also suggested me how to deal with the topic selection for the
project . While doing this project I came to know many new and interesting things and
it helped me in improving my research skills and I am grateful for it.
Secondly , I would like to thank my family and friends for constantly encouraging me
during the course of this project and I wouldn’t have completed without their
support.
Introduction
The term Party System is used to identify and describe the system of exercise of political power in a each
political systems.
* It is used far identifying the nature and system of use of political power by the political parties.
* All the political parties working in a political systems taken together constitute the Party System.
* In a parliamentary democracy the working of party system is different from the worring of the party
system of a democracy, with a Presidential form of government.
* In a socialist political system a single party system is at work and in most of the developing countries,
multi- party systems are at war.
In a two-party system, In a multi-party system,
In a one-party system, only two main parties more than two parties
only one political party is have a serious chance of have a reasonable
allowed to control and winning a majority of chance of coming to
run the government. seats to form a power either on their
e.g. China , North Korea government. own strength or in
e.g. USA , UK alliance with others.
e.g. India , Brazil
Reason for choosing the topic
I choose the topic of "PARTY SYSTEM" as I have a genuine interest or
passion for the topic which is making my project enjoyable and
motivating to
work on. Second reason for choosing the topic was that this topic is too
related to my subject of political science and is one of the important
topic of it. some other reasons for choosing this topic was teacher's
guidance, avalalility of good material and peer influence.
Reason for choosing the topic
I choose the topic of "PARTY SYSTEM" as I have a genuine interest or passion for the
topic which is making my project enjoyable and motivating to
work on. Second reason for choosing the topic was that this topic is too related to my
subject of political science and is one of the important topic of it. some other reasons
for choosing this topic was teacher's guidance, avalalility of good material and peer
influence.
Research question / Objective
Party system and how party systems changed in India since
independence.
Literature review
The verdict-decoding India’s elections by Prannoy Roy and Dorab R .SopariWala
The book uses a rigorous psephological ( the statistical study of elections and trends in
voting),original research as yet undisclosed facts to talk about the entire span of India’s electoral
history from the first elections in 1952 and how the party system changes as per the years.
Published by penguin housing in 2019.
When India votes by Sameer Kapur and Jaishri Jethwaney
The book looks at the theoretical underpinnings of the relationship between party systems and
influence in India, democracy or dictatorship is better , role of mass media, election campaigning
and representative campaigns of the last three decades of the two major Parties or players :
- the Congress and BIP amongst the multi party system of India including 6 national parties, 57
state parties 2,764 unrecognized parties.
Published by Rupa in 2019 .
The game of votes by Farhat Basir Khan
This book showcases the full spectrum of the key actors and stars of the party systems, electoral
arena, the rise and fall of political parties, the role of the digital and technology platforms and the
emergence of fake news impacting parties election outcomes in India and across the world.
Published My SAGE publications in 2019.
Methodology
I used the some references of my political science 12th std book
to know about the material and content about topic “Party
system” and I used some official articles and sites from the
online extracts to complete my project.
A brief timeline of party system since independence in India
1952 - 64 1964 - 77 1977 - 80 1980 - 89 1989 - till date
The Nehruvian era of A period of a new Tussle between the
An uneasy Transition
national consenses consensus and Congress at the centre and Multi Party system
With death of increasing Inter - Party the newly emerged regional and coalition politics
Congress party conflict parties at the state level
Jawahar Lal Nehru
was the New coalition Frivolous use Death of Rajiv Gandhi
and 1967 elections
dominant party posed the
emerged led of President’s
corruption cases ,
economic crisis , all
and Indian challenge to by Janata rule under set the tone for an
democracy was dominance of Party in 1977 Article 365
ERA OF COALITION
essentially ONE congress system. DEVELOPMENT
Emergence of and
- PARTY Regional parties emergence of
OF THE MULTI
SYSTEM also
MULTI - PARTY SYSTEM
started growing the main
termed as all over the
PARTY
opposition
congress country SYSTEM Growth of regional
parties parties also lead to
system “rainbow coalitions
Strengths of different systems.
One - party system Two - party system Multi - party system
The 1. Little era
Nehruvian scope
of
of 1. Ensures real majority rule 1. Natural for a society with
national consenses
aggressive party 2. Easy choice for the voters socio - economic - cultural
politics 3. Very useful for a diversities
2. Strong government parliamentary form of 2. More choice with the voters
3. Political stability and government 3. Compels the political parties
continuity 4. Stable government to cooperate and form
4. Strong policies and 5. Continuity in politics alliances
more progress 6. Strong government 4. Ruling parties cannot behave
5. More suitable for 7. Orderly politics in an arbitary way
Regional parties
meeting emergencies 8. Easy to fix responsibilities 5. Several alternative
6. Responsibility can be growing
started 9. Ensures responsibility governments can be formed
easily fixed all over the behavior of ruling party 6. More political education for
7. Helpful in nation country 10. Opportunity for a change of the people
building government 7. The nation remains free from
8. Easy choice for 11. Less chance of rigid groupism
voters authoritarianism
Limitations of different systems.
One - party system Two - party system Multi - party system
1. Undemocratic 1. Cannot be possible in every state 1. Unprincipled alliances
2.The Nehruvian era of
Authoritarian in nature 2. Majority party can misuse its 2. Source of hung legislature
national consenses
3. Unreal elections powers 3. Ineffective legislature
4. Less political participation of 3. Limited choice 4. Evil of political defections
people 4. Divisions of nations into two 5. Elections of less popular
5. Little scope for the sharp groups representatives
representation of all interests 5. All sections of society do not get 6. Unstable government
and groups of the people proper representation 7. Not really suitable for the
6. Less political education for 6. Legislature gets divided into two parliamentary system of
people parts government
7. People get no real opportunity 7. Unduly big importance of the 8. More party politics and lack of
Regional partiesleader of the majority and the
for a change of government discipline among party members
8. Not a natural system started growing leader of opposition 9. More chances of corruption
9. Fear of revolution all over the 8. Role of smaller parties becomes 10. Lack of healthy and strong
10. Rapid economic development country meaningless opposition
with less political development 11. Less development
always creates an imbalance in 12. Source of confused public
society. opinion
Comparative analysis of merits and demerits of the three party systems
One - party system Two - party system Multi - party system
In a one-party system, only one political In a two-party system, only two major In a multi-party system, more than
party is legallyera
The Nehruvian allowed
of to exist and hold parties have a serious chance of winning two parties have a reasonable chance
national consenses
power. a majority of seats to form a of coming to power.
This party typically dominates all aspects government. Examples include India, where several
of government, and opposition parties Examples include the United States parties compete, and coalition
are either banned or marginalized. (with the Democratic and Republican governments are common.
Examples of countries with a one-party parties) and the United Kingdom (with Advantages:
system include China (where the
Labour and Conservative parties). Diverse Representation: Various
Communist Party is the sole legal party)
Advantages: interest groups find
and North Korea.
Clear Choices: Voters can choose representation.
Advantages:
between two distinct policy Flexibility: Parties can form
Efficiency: Decisions can be made
platforms. alliances based on issues.
quickly without opposition.
Stability: Alternation between two Correspondence to Public
Regional parties
Stability: Reduced political
competition can lead to stability. parties provides stability. Opinion: Reflects the division of
Disadvantages:
started growing Disadvantages: public opinion.
Lack of Choice: Citizens havealllimited
over the Limited Representation: Smaller Disadvantages:
parties may struggle to gain Instability: Frequent coalition
country
options and little say in governance.
Potential for Authoritarianism: influence. negotiations can lead to
Concentration of power can lead to Polarization: Parties may become instability.
abuses. more extreme to differentiate Complexity: Managing multiple
themselves. parties can be challenging.
Few examples
China is a prime example of a one-party system. Since October 1, 1949, China has been governed by the
Communist Party of China (CCP). Here are some key points about the CCP’s role in China:
1. Monopoly on Power: The CCP has maintained a political monopoly since its victory over nationalist
rivals and the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949. It currently boasts more than ninety
million members.
2. Xi Jinping’s Leadership: Since 2012, Xi Jinping has been at the helm of the CCP. As the general
secretary, he holds significant power within the party and the state. His influence extends to the
government, military, and society. Xi’s leadership has focused on restoring the party’s central role in
Chinese society and asserting China’s global power1.
3. Xi Jinping Thought: Xi champions a vision for China’s “rejuvenation” and has pursued a more assertive
foreign policy strategy. His policies include modernizing China’s military, repressing minority
communities, and increasing state control over private companies. His doctrine, known as “Xi Jinping
Thought”, is expected to be enshrined in the party’s constitution.
4. Challenges and Tensions: The CCP faces several challenges, including slowed economic growth, the
COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis. Additionally, tensions with the United States have
escalated due to China’s assertive stance on the global stage
Few examples
Two major political parties have long dominated politics in the United States. And since the mid-1800s, those two main parties have been
the Democrats and Republicans.The U.S. system of representation is based on who wins the most votes in each district, not necessarily a
majority of votes cast. In addition, each distinct area—whether congressional district, state or, in the case of the presidency, the nation as
a whole—is represented by a single member, rather than proportional representation based on the number of votes received.
Both parties originated from the Democratic-Republican party, which was formed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, two of the
Founding Fathers of the USA. The Democratic-Republican party stood for a relatively decentralized form of government, favoring granting
more authority to individual states as opposed to the Federalist Party, which advocated for a stronger federal government.
In the early 1820s, the Democratic-Republican party split, with most members going on to form the Democratic Party, while the rest
eventually formed the Whig Party.
The Democrats at the time largely followed the philosophy of Andrew Jackson, the USA’s seventh president. They emphasized individual
and state rights as opposed to federalism. The party’s power was concentrated in the South, and they were strongly pro-slavery. Their
election symbol is a blue donkey.
The Whig Party, which had stood for strong congressional checks on the president's power, and were pro-business and entrepreneurship,
collapsed in the 1850s after a series of major election losses. The Republican Party emerged in the aftermath. Their platform gave more
power to the federal government over state governments, and they were explicitly anti-slavery. Their first president was Abraham Lincoln,
who defeated the Confederacy in the American Civil War and outlawed slavery in 1865. The party’s election symbol is a red elephant.
Today, Democrats are generally more liberal and progressive, and lean towards the “left” of the political spectrum.
On the other hand, Republicans are more conservative, and lean to the “right” of the political spectrum.
The USA’s current president, Joe Biden, is a democrat who was vice president to Barack Obama, America’s first black president. He
defeated President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, and appointed Kamala Harris as his vice president. He has said that he intends to
run for re-election in 2024, though he has not yet made an official announcement.
Donald Trump, though he currently holds no official titles, is widely seen as the party’s most popular figure. He played a major role in the
selection of Republican candidates for the 2022 midterm elections, and has announced that he is running for president in 2024.
Few examples
India’s political landscape is indeed marked by a robust multi-party system
Historical Context:
For several decades, India’s politics was synonymous with coalition politics. Between 1989 and 2014, no single party held a
parliamentary majority on its own. Instead, parties relied on pre- and post-election allies to form governing coalitions.
However, a significant shift occurred in 2014 when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured the first single-party majority in the
lower house of India’s parliament (the Lok Sabha) in three decades. This breakthrough prompted debates about whether India
had transitioned from multipolarity and fragmentation to a new dominant-party system
The BJP’s Dominance:
The BJP’s historic victory in 2014 positioned it as the system-defining party, replacing the Congress, which had previously held
that role.
Since then, the BJP has become the focal point of electoral alignment and re-alignment in India. Its return to power following the
May 2019 general election solidified this trend1.
Regional Parties:
India’s multi-party system extends beyond national parties. Regional parties play a significant role in state politics, contributing
to the complexity of the Indian party system.
These regional parties often represent specific linguistic, cultural, or regional interests, and their influence varies across
different states
Challenges and Trends:
The multi-party system reflects the vastness and diversity of India. With the highest number of political parties per capita
globally, India sees a plethora of communal and non-communal, left-wing, center, and right-wing parties.
Challenges include maintaining coalition stability, managing diverse interests, and addressing regional disparities.
Trends indicate that India’s party system continues to evolve, with the BJP’s dominance persisting but not without challenges
from regional players
Student's vision of rapidly evolving Party system in India.
The significant features of the political party system in India
in current times are: weak and multi-party opposition; era of
coalitions (even present government is a coalition);
ideological commitments overlap with greed for power;
increased communal, caste character; increased importance
of regional satraps {though presently, they have been
eclipsed by 2014 mandate}, personality cult, lack of internal
democracy in most parties; groupism and opportunism within
the parties; electoral alliances; use of extra-constitutional
means to remain in power; opaque funding; populist nature of
most parties.
Conclusion
Thus we conclude that the single party system, the bi-party system and the
multi- party system are the three popular types of party systems. Their
emergence and functioning is really determined by and dependent upon the
socio-economic cultural- historical-political factors of each society. A party
system that comes to develop and continues to operate in a political system, is
determined by the environment of the system. Its working, whether good or
bad, efficient or inefficient, stable or unstable, beneficial or harmful to national
interests, depends upon the environment. No final judgment can be passed in
respect of the question as to which is the best party system.
Bibliography
https://www.gktoday.in/evolution-of-indian-political-party-
system/#google_vignette
https://www.journalofpoliticalscience.com/uploads/archives/5-2-51-
313.pdf
https://www.worldatlas.com/politics/what-is-the-difference-between-
democrats-and-republicans.html
https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/59311/why-does-the-
usa-only-have-two-political-parties
https://www.history.com/news/two-party-system-american-politics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-party_system
https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/66626/1/Unit-3.pdf
our 12th political science textbook
