As As long as there are at least two parties, the system is called a "competitive party system.

Even if
there are only two parties, and they are not far apart eologically (as in the United States of the
essence of competitive party system continues which is to impede corruption. A party that locks
itself in power, whatever its ideological rationale inevitably becomes corrupt. can be kept in check
only by the parties hammering away at alleged corruption in the a ministration of 989 in" The utility
of a competitive party system was underscored in in East Germany where cammunist leaders were
revealed have kimmed millions from foreign-trade deals to banks for personal and stashed them in
swiss party systems, for use. Such antics are generally short-lived in competitive the "in's" is soon
out. Parties in Democracies In evaluating part functions, two major factors must be considered: the
degree of centralisation in the party's organisation and the extent to which a party participates in
government policy Centralisation Parties differ in terms of the degree of centralisation. Germany is
divided states in which state parties have the dominant say such a system decentralises control.
Britain, the parties select their candidates by a process of bargaining between each party's national
headquarters and its local constituency organisations. The national headquarters suggest a
candidate who from that district, which is legal in Britain, and the local partywill approve or
disapprove the candidate. The local party may also run its own candidate after clearing the
nomination with national headquarters. The varying degrees of centralisation of these systems give
their parties coherence, discipline, and ideological consistency. When you vote for a party in
Germany or Britain yau know what it stands for and what it will implement if elected. Once elected,
members of these parliaments do not go their separate ways but vote according to party decisions.
Voters have no such assurance of party discipline in the United States of America, where parties
have historically been decentralised and weak. State party organisations may have some power, but
in most cases, candidates have orly themselves to rely on. Candidates for the House and the Senate,
in effect, create a new party organisation every time they run. Between elections, the US parties lie
dormant.
The Republican National Committee and Democratie National committee m t Candidates are
expected to individuals and political acti their own money through contributions from through
committees (PACs), Candidates then appeal directly the voters even to television and other media.
Increasingly television advertisements fail to tell mention candidate's party affiliation. Candidates
are thus in a position and l the didn't much party help to win, their national parties. Towe you very
little. I n't pay much attention to you now that I'm in office This makes US parties diealty
decentralised and often incoherent. Elected officials answer to their conscience, to their
constituents, and to their PACs, and not to their political ing Government Policy One key to a
responsible party government is the extent to which the majority party can enact its legislative
programme. In parliamentary systems the majority party must resign when it can no longer muster
the votes to carry on its legislative programme. In contrast, the problem in the United States of
America is often one of identifying exactly where the majority lies The platform of the presidential
campaign is not binding on the members of the president's party n Congress What if the party the
president is not the the legislative houses? just what who determines programme of a party that
Congress yet has no central leader like the may control speak for president? Does Mario Cuomo,
George Mitchell, or Edward Kennedy the national democratic party? These are just some of the
problems parliamentary systems do not have. Schattschneider argued that because the US, national
arties are so decentralised, not one of them can agree on a strong national platform, and the result
is that the American government is a punching bag ery special and local interest in the nation'
Participation in Government True, a parliamentary system of government is more conducive to what
schattscneiderregards as a more responsible party government than the Party participation in
government is Unger in Westem urope because in parliamentary systems the winning party is the
government, r more precisely, its team becomes the cabinet This system aliows for more clear-cut
accountability and voter choice than is available in the American system, where the parties are
decentralised and stand for many

Les and n both systems, parties participate in government by providing Party activists in the various
and agencies.In Britain.LDO members of the winning party's parliamentary action take on cabinet
subcabinet positions.Some 3,ooo Americans can receive palitical appointments when a new
president takes office.The Party in Communist States Communist systems that is, countries ruled by
communist parties-have suddenly become rare.In Eastern Europe, Communist parties permitted free
elections in 19 go and found themselves out of power and reduced to minor-party status.As the
Soviet Union collapsed, Russian President Boris Yeltsin outlawed the Communist Party China,
Vietnam, North Korea, and Cuba seemed intent on the classic Communist system of a party
controlled state, but they too may soon change.The classic Communist system founded by Lenin and
developed by Stalin the Soviet Union featured the interlocking of a single party government and The
Communist party does not rule directly, instead i monitored, and controls personnel of the state and
economic Most Soviet officials wore two hats,one as government functionary and another as
Communist Party member.Every level al government, from local to national, had that nominated its
candidates and set its general lines of policy At the top of the state structure, for example, was the
legislature, the oversaw Soviet.Corresponding the part the Central Committee and the nomination of
candidates to the Supreme Soviet, set agenda guided its legislative outcomes.Supervising the Central
Committee, a Politburo (political bureau) of a dozen or so top party leaders was the real heart Soviet
governance.Guiding the Politburo, the party's general secretary could appoint loyal followers to high
positions and thus amass great power.Why did Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbache, deliberately
structure?A single party that attempts to contrul everything important in society develops severe
problems over the years.Because it gives the best jobs, housing and consumer goods, the party
becomes increasingly staffed by opportunists, many of them corrupt.These party apparatchiks
(people of the apparatus) also become highly conservative.The system favours them, and they have
no desire to reform it.

Communist lind the US, West and Japanese to be seen as leading that was to lead the Soviet Union
into a radiant future came the conclusion that the country backwards. seems to have come to
monopoly on poweL to save country had to break the Communist party's Gorbachev failed to
understand (as did rnany Western political scientist) how brittle was. Once the Soviet Cornmunist
party was discredited and had competition, it collapsed Soviet experience suggests that single
parties that monopolise power are workable long-term solutions, Without the invigorating elements
of debate. competition, and accountability, Communist-type parties become corrupt, systems
should be studied while there are still few left. Parties in the Muslim world Before examining the
party system in the Muslim world, it is necessary to find if political parties are allowed in Islam.
Muslim scholars believe that political parties are not inconsistent with Islam's principles of
consultation, freedom, equity and equality. These can be fully if political parties are allowed and if
people are given the right to exercise their activities for the well being the munity. However,
opposition in Islam does not mean systematic rejection for the sake of opposition only. Opposition in
lslam involves correcting the mistakes, suggesting lternatives and working together for the
achievement of welfare within the ral principles of the Shariah. Opposition in lslam is an opposition
over details l not over principles. Its aim is not, as the case with the Western system, to remove the
government in power. Its primary concern is to help redress errors and indicate the right path.
However, in order for it to be successful and constructive. the opposition must be organise ic must
be noted that the parties in the West most often are seen electoral instruments to get a group of
leaders elected to various government offices. an party, with its emphasis on Islamic ideology, has to
function not just as electoral instrument social service organisation. They must be engaged
activating local governments, resolving ethnic differences and above all in viding leadership and
initiative in developing rural and urban services in areas lit:n education, health, and

19 Political Parties and Party systems Islamic prescriptions not withstanding, many countries in the
Muslim world have organised political parties along Western lines.However, most organisations that
call themselves parties in fact only faintly resemble what is generally recognised as parties.Many are
only the personal creations of a specific individual or family, and they will fade away after that
person's death or loss of interest in politics Many others have some ideological base, but lack the
organisational power Most parties are underfinanced and understaffed, and they sufferfrom a lack
of experienced personnel who can manage complex bureaucracies Probably the most significant
difference between the Muslim world parties and their counterparts in the Western world is that
Muslim parties are not necessarily organised to win elections.In most cases, the parties exist not to
compete with other parties for votes, but to link the newly mobilised citizens to the modern
segment of the multiple society These parties a situation.They are the only party permitted by
survey of the 12 nations in the Muslim world in 1997 shows law A of the total, permit only one that
35, or just slightly less than official party to exist.Included in this list are major states such as Egypt,
Algeria, y others are legally multi states, but are de jacto one-party systems because of the legalised
dominance of one party over all the rest.Indonesia Suharto the best-known example of this
phenomenon.In such a system, the dominant or single party exists not to and voters to win elections
but act as a traditional educational that would tie together the rural, section of society with the
modern, urban segment Key Terms single-party system communist system political partyliberalism
conservatism adversary politics mass party ndividualism social democracy parliamentary cadre party
system multi-party system two-party system oonsensus