1102GIR Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Kuomintang, Single Transferable Vote, Anthony Downs

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L5. Parties and Elections
Political Parties
A political party is a group of citizens that shares common political views and/or goals, and
who seek elected office together
o Difference between interest groups and political parties
Seeking elected office together
o Issues with definition
Many examples of political parties which don't seek elected office due to not
holding elections (excluding rule by military, as they usually operate alongside a
party)
E.g. The Ba'ath Party in Syria and Iraq (came to power through a coup), the
Bolsheviks in the former Soviet Union and the Chinese Nationalist Party
(excluding Taiwan)
Typically, these parties place bans on all other political parties and then
become equivalent to the state
So to get anywhere in politics in these states, you must be a member
of this party
E.g. The Soviet Union
However, this definition is reliable in our part of the world
Elections are the most important institution in terms of putting democracy into practise
o If we define democracy as rule by the people, then we need a way of implementing
peoples' opinions
Like mass and universal suffrage, political parties are a relatively new phenomenon (19th
century)
Suffrage
o The right to vote
o Late 19th century - early 20th century radical changes in terms of democracy occurred
Mass suffrage (shift from property owning men being allowed to vote to all men
being allowed to vote)
Universal suffrage (the extension of voting to women)
Led to a sudden increase in voters and a larger section of the population (the
masses) being able to vote
Parties can
o Represent interests (cadre)
Often represent narrow sections of society and their political interests and
concerns
E.g. Republicans and Democrats (represented different elite interests in the
US in the 19th century)
o Mobilise masses (mass)
Getting people from around different areas to support one cause
19th century: Urbanisation of communities (farmers moving to cities) and
industrialisation occurred rapidly, leading to a period of industrial society and
increasing the populations in cities, which then led to peasants coming together to
form unions
E.g. Labour Movement in Queensland
Was created by shearers and sugar cane workers, which made up a
large population of Queensland
o Formulate compromises (catch-all)
Party Organisation
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Document Summary

Political parties: a political party is a group of citizens that shares common political views and/or goals, and who seek elected office together, difference between interest groups and political parties. Issues with definition: many examples of political parties which don"t seek elected office due to not holding elections (excluding rule by military, as they usually operate alongside a party, e. g. The ba"ath party in syria and iraq (came to power through a coup), the. Bolsheviks in the former soviet union and the chinese nationalist party (excluding taiwan: typically, these parties place bans on all other political parties and then become equivalent to the state. So to get anywhere in politics in these states, you must be a member of this party: e. g. The soviet union: however, this definition is reliable in our part of the world, elections are the most important institution in terms of putting democracy into practise.

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