PPAS 2110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Caucus, Party System, Political Communication

• School: York University
• Department: Public Policy and Administration Studies
• Course: PPAS 2110
• Professor: Peter Constantinou

Document Summary

Political communication, political socialization, political mobilization, interest articulation, interest aggregation, recruitment and training decision makers, formulating public policy, and fund raising. Party system; the historical trajectory of party system in canada; The factors behind the emergence of minor parties in canada. Types of political parties: classification along the following dimensions. Party organization; party caucus and extra-parliamentary party organizations, membership. Party membership; low level of identification with political parties. Less than 2% of canadians carry party membership card. Methods of choosing party leaders; convention (voting by delegations), one member one vote through telephone or mail (pq was the first to follow the second method. Advantages and disadvantages of leadership selection through direct voting: Advantages: more accessible to grassroots members; it is more meaningful; all votes are treated equally. Disadvantages: does not guarantee a balanced regional representation; it might alienate the committed members of parties. The use of hybrid system (combining positive elements of both methods)