Q) Discuss the role of political parties in contemporary democracies. Assess whether parties have retained their position or are in a decline or ascent? Consider arguments both in favour and against your judgment.

A) In the twenty-first century, the term democracy doesn't just bring to mind the idea of people power; instead it prompts the idea of the existence of several political parties. The changing face of democracy has much to owe to the evolution of the political party system in the world today. Political parties seem to have become an engraved concept of democracy nowadays because of the significant role they play in the prevalent democratic systems. On face value a political party is a group of individuals representing certain views and attempting to gain power through the process of elections and translating these views into policies. However, they have several purposes, that upon being fulfilled act like building blocks to form the wall of democracy as we know it today. These include, but are not limited to, the formation of a government, representation of populist ideas, provision of a political platform for individuals, and the setting of goals for society which of course are coherent with what the masses desire. Moreover parties may also represent a certain faction of society which could be ethnic, religious or a certain class, much like interest groups do. These purposes of political parties are parallel to the essential principles of democracy, hence playing an overwhelming role in democracy as a form of government. However, there are certain downsides of these functions, such as recruitment of only a limited amount of individuals, failure in policy implementation and domination by interest groups, and last but not least, the old combination of favoritism and nepotism. Such drawbacks only decline the importance of parties in contemporary democracy, a debate that will be discussed further on in this essay.

Political parties attract voters and members because of the distinct views they uphold. If their views and potential policies appeal to society members, they will either vote for that party or join the party and become potential candidates. Ultimately, should the concerned party or parties come to power, the desires and needs of society are represented in the parliament and an attempt is made to pass them on as laws. This makes it seem like politicians are producers of a service and voters are simply consumers who desire that service. This criticism is referred to as the Rational Choice theorists. Nevertheless,this relationship between society members and parties works both ways. Political parties also, more often than not, change their stances and shape their policies to cater to the views of the masses in an attempt to procure their support.
Since it is responsive to the predominant goal of democracy, that is to represent the views of the people, this may well be the primary purpose of a political party.

The other significant role political parties play in contemporary democracies is the formation of a government. This may be based on proportional representation or on the largest single majority, as mentioned above. Once a government is formed, parties may work on their agendas and proceed to pass bills or make laws in accordance to the demand of the masses; primarily those who voted for them. When this process starts to smooth out over a period of time, and the parliament becomes active and functionary, political stability is established or in some cases restored. In case of proportional representation, coalition governments may be formed so collective goals across all spectrums of society can be achieved. At the same time opposing parties may keep the work of the government in check through constructive criticism.

One very significant role played by political parties is that they provide platforms for individuals to excel in politics, and hence great leaders are born. These leaders transform from ordinary members of parties, gather all the skills and experience the party exposes them to, and eventually run for office. For example, the likes of Margaret Thatcher and John F. Kennedy could not have accomplished what they did without having platforms in the form of political parties at their disposal. Even their cult of personality was arguably developed partially with their association with their respective parties.

A contemporary democratic system moves the country forward in a direction that is desired by the majority of the people of the nation.Political parties have a pivotal role to play in this process as they draft policies and set goals that either appeal to the public or are in sync with what the public wants. These policies are aimed at attaining the greater good of the people and without the formulation of such goals the government would fail to function adequately.

Some political parties also act as representatives of certain sects of society such as classes, religions or ethnic groups.The UK Labour Party for example was initially created to forward the interest of the working class. When more of these parties exist in a democratic government they may work together and collaborate resources to collectively work towards the attainment of the wants of the different sects of society.

One may conclude that political parties are vital components of the contemporary democratic system. However, as mentioned earlier, they are not flawless and certainly have some downsides. First of all, there is only a fraction of individuals who get the chance to run for office and they do so over and over again, depriving others of the same opportunity. This may limit the chances of progression for the country.

Furthermore, political parties can only draft policies but the process of implementation is carried out by the bureaucracies, and this process is known as red tapism. As a result, political parties cannot guarantee that the policies are implemented successfully and the public is ultimately disappointed.

Moreover, parties that represent certain interest groups, as listed above, only work for the interest of their supporters, neglecting the rest of the public. Many developing countries face this problem. For example Pakistan, which follows a parliamentary democratic system, has several political parties. Each party stands for just one sect of society based on the province associated with its members. Lastly, all but few parties possess elements of nepotism and favouritism. For example, the Democratic party in the USA is vastly influenced by the Kennedy family.

These drawbacks downplay the significance of parties in democracy today. Hence,one may argue that political parties are in a state of decline. The following evidence suggests in developed, democratic countries such as the United Kingdom, the popularity and membership of political parties has declined in recent years. In 1971, the Conservatives had membership of 1.3 million and the Labour Party had membership of 876,000. In 2011, the figures had fallen to 177,000 and 190,000 respectively.

Protest movements and anti-politics have seemed to gained popularity in recent years. This is because, the youth is more attracted to movements that are easy to be a part of and have a more focused agenda, such as peace movements or women’s rights. Also, in recent years, individuals such as Ross Perot gathered massive support for their movements.

Lastly, parties do not always fulfill their promises. Many a times they fail to implement what they campaign for, owing to factors such as corruption and personal ambition. Therefore, people fear disappointment again and again and therefore lose confidence in the ability of political parties to deliver.

Political parties are without doubt a very central component of the contemporary democratic system. They play significant roles that help a country move in a positive direction and achieve democratic goals. However, in several aspects, they are in a state of decline because of certain practices that lead to incompetence and failure. In addition to this, the public grows increasingly cynical of their intentions and ability to perform. The recent growth in popularity of independent movements only negates the importance of political parties. Despite this, political parties go hand in hand with democratic principles. However objectionable their methods and success may be, it is difficult to imagine one existing without the other. If they do manage to overcome their obstacles and criticism, the question of their decline may not exist anymore.