SYLLABUS
1. UNITED KINGDOM
2. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3. BRAZIL
4. RUSSIA
5. CHINA
6. SOUTH AFRICA
7. ISRAEL
PARTY
Causes of the
SYSTEM
Second OF
Industrial
Revolution
BRITAIN
• In a democracy,
people vote to
choose leaders.
• But how do people
know who to vote
for? That’s where
political parties
come in!
Political parties:
• Help people understand what each leader believes.
• Bring people together who have similar ideas.
• Form the government if they win.
• The party that loses becomes the opposition and
keeps a check on the government.
Britain’s Government System
• Britain has a
parliamentary
government (like India).
• The party that wins the
most seats in elections
forms the government.
There are many parties, but only
two main parties have ruled for
many years:
Conservative Party
Labour Party
Early Beginnings (During Charles II's Reign)
• Political parties in Britain
began forming during the
Stuart Period.
• There was a power struggle
between the King and
Parliament.
Whigs and Tories (During William III's Time)
These two groups developed into political
parties:
Tories: Supported the King’s authority and
Church.
Whigs: Wanted to limit the powers of the
King.
Reform Act of 1832
A major reform in the British electoral system.
After this Act:
Tory Party → Became the Conservative Party
Whig Party → Became the Liberal Party
Rise of the Labour Party (1906)
Due to reforms, workers got voting rights.
• In 1906, the Labour Party was formed to
represent workers.
• In 1924, the Labour Party formed its first
government, replacing the Liberal Party.
Present Scenario
Now, two main political parties dominate:
• Conservative Party
• Labour Party
Other parties also exist, but power mainly
rotates between these two.
Main Features of
the British Party
System
Two Party System
Strict Party Discipline
• British political parties are very
well-organized and disciplined.
• Members follow the rules of the
party strictly.
• This discipline helps to create
stable governments.
Importance of Leadership
• Leadership is a key part of
British parties.
• The party's strength and
influence depend a lot on the
personality and vision of its
leader.
Centralized Structure
• Because the UK is a small
and relatively uniform
country, political control
is centralized.
• The top leaders control
the party at all levels.
Main Political
Parties of Britain
Today
BRITISH ELECTION
SYSTEM
What is the British Election System?
• One of the oldest and most stable
democratic systems in the world.
• It follows the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP)
system.
Simple Logic: In each area (called
constituency), the person with the most
votes wins, even if they don’t have more
than 50% of the votes.
Who Manages the Elections?
Elections are managed by an independent
body called the Electoral Commission.
This body ensures:
• Elections are free, fair, and transparent.
• There are rules for campaign spending to
reduce money-based influence.
Who Can Vote?
To vote, a person must:
• Be a British citizen or a citizen of a
Commonwealth country.
• Be 18 years or older.
• Be registered on the electoral roll
(compulsory).
Prime Minister Selection
• The Prime Minister is NOT
directly elected by the
people.
• Instead, the leader of the
party with majority in
the House of Commons
becomes the Prime
Minister.
If no party gets a full majority:
• A coalition government
(multiple parties together) may
be formed.
• Or a minority government
(party with most seats but less
than 50%) can be formed.
Election Cycle
General elections are held every 5 years.
But mid-term elections can happen earlier
if:
• Parliament is dissolved due to political
crisis.
• Government loses confidence in
Parliament.
Advantages of the British Election System
Simple and easy to understand
Quick results
Helps create strong and stable governments
Supports the tradition of accountable
governance
Transparent process with secret ballot and
fair counting
Criticisms of the System
Unfair to small parties: A party may
get lots of votes across the country
but no seats if they don’t win in any
one constituency.
Only two big parties (Conservative
and Labour) benefit the most.
Undemocratic in some
ways, as it doesn't reflect
proportional
representation.
Independent
candidates and regional
parties struggle.
UNITARY SYSTEM
OF GOVERNMENT
IN BRITAIN
What is a Unitary Government?
• A unitary system means that
all powers are concentrated
in one central authority.
• In Britain, that authority is
the Parliament in London.
• Parliamentary Sovereignty =
Parliament has full control.
• It can make, change, or cancel
any law.
• No other body (state, court, or
region) can challenge
Parliament's authority.
No Written Constitution
• Laws passed by Parliament
• Traditions and customs
• Court decisions (judicial rulings)
But control of major subjects
(like Defence, Foreign Affairs, and
Taxes) remains with the central
Parliament in London.
Why It’s Still Unitary:
• These powers are given by Parliament
and can also be taken back.
• This is called Constitutional
Decentralization, not federalism.
Example: The Scottish Independence
Referendum (2014) happened only after UK
Parliament allowed it.
British system of governance is basically unitary — all real power lies with
the central Parliament.
PARTY SYSTEM OF
UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
Introduction: What Is a Party System?
❖ A party system means how political parties are organized,
how they compete in elections, and how they function in a
country’s government.
❖ In the United States, the party system is known as a two-
party system, where two major parties — Democratic Party
and Republican Party — dominate political life.
❖ These two parties shape elections, public policies, and
government leadership.
UNITED STATES
ELECTORAL
SYSTEM
Introduction: What is an Electoral System?
❖ An electoral system is the method through which votes are
translated into seats or positions in government.
❖ In the United States, the electoral system is designed to elect public
officials at multiple levels — federal (President, Congress), state
(Governor, State Legislatures), and local (Mayor, Council).
❖ The U.S. electoral system is one of the oldest democratic models,
shaped by its Constitution, federal structure, and tradition of
representative democracy.
PARTY SYSTEM OF
BRAZIL AND FEDERAL
SYSTEM OF GOVT
▪ The party system of Brazil is an important feature of its democratic
setup.
▪ Unlike countries with just two main parties, Brazil follows a multi-
party system, meaning many political parties compete for power
at the national and state levels.
▪ This system reflects Brazil’s diverse society and federal structure,
but also leads to challenges in forming stable governments.
▪ The political culture is influenced by proportional representation,
coalition politics, and regionalism, making Brazil’s party system
one of the most fragmented in the world.
RUSSIAN PARTY SYSTEM
, ELECTORAL SYSTEM
AND FEDERAL SYSTEM
• The party system in Russia reflects its transition from a
Soviet one-party state to a formal multi-party
democracy.
• However, despite the presence of many registered
parties, the Russian political system today is heavily
dominated by a single party, with limited space for
genuine opposition. This has led many scholars to
describe Russia as having a “controlled multiparty
system” or a dominant-party system.
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
▪ The electoral system in Russia is a blend of
democratic structure and authoritarian
control.
▪ Citizens vote for their President and
legislature, but the system is heavily
influenced by the executive, with limited
transparency and competitiveness.
▪ While elections are held regularly, they are
criticized for being unfair, unfree, and non-
competitive.
FEDERAL SYSTEM
▪ Russia is officially a federal republic, meaning
it has a central government and multiple
subnational governments (called “subjects of
the federation”) that share powers.
▪ However, unlike classic federations like the
U.S. or India, Russia’s federalism is highly
centralized, with the central government and
the President holding most real power.
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF
SOUTH AFRICA
❖ PARTY SYSTEM
❖ ELECTORAL SYSTEM
❖ FEDERAL SYSTEM OF
GOVERNANCE
PARTY SYSTEM
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
ISRAEL
❖Constitutional Development of Israel
❖Nature of Israel
❖Israel’s Party System
❖Electoral System
❖Unitary Governance System
CONSTITUTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
NATURE OF ISRAEL
ISRAEL PARTY SYSTEM
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
UNITARY
GOVERNANCE
