Report on The Comparative Politics: Explaining the Parties and Party Systems

                In democratic world of politics, the role of parties and party systems has become indispensable in so many ways. It is a fact that political parties are not given a considerable mention in the constitution, but still there is no democracy in the world, which does not have the essence of parties and their party systems. The parties are the ones, which perform different functions in a democratic set up and all these functions are crucial for the democratic system to evolve and move forward in a right direction. The electoral system and elections could have been more unpredictable, if there would have been no political parties. So, these parties and their systems help to develop an electoral competition, and come up with stable political democratic system. When parties are looked at in a context of being institutions, their role becomes more crucial because parties persist over time (Lupu & Riedl, 2012)

        It is important in the comparative politics to understand that what kind of approaches is widely used in the political parties, and what factors shape their overall structure. Keeping different aspects in view, it has been observed that there are two competing structures of party system in common democratic set ups; the first one is historical-sociological approach, and the second one is organizational-institutional approach. The historical-sociological approach of party system asserts that parties are based on the criteria of different social groups and their relevant interests. On the other hand, the organizational-institutional approach asserts that parties are driven by some other factors like parties are influenced by institutions as well as existing electoral system. Both these factor have an effect on parties and their party systems to determine that how parties will work like organizational or institutional systems, and what aspects would drive them forward (Saarts, 2018)

The Approaches of Party Systems

        It is important to mention that democratic systems around the world cannot be explained without the presence of political parties and different party systems. The political parties and their systems can vary across the world, but in one way or the other, parties are indispensable to a democratic political system. In representative democracies, the political parties are considered to be a pervasive phenomenon. Looking at their internal and external structures, it has been observed that political parties are crucial to the functions off democratic system. The voters can’t get a direction on their own, without the inclusion of parties in their though process. It is a fact that public opinion, which is free from any pressures, has a vital place in the essence of democratic system, and parties give voice to the public opinion. It is a communication system, which works with both the democratic system and the public. The party system can vary in different political systems, but their role would always remain central according to their basic approaches (Randall & Svasand, 2002). It is important to mention two basic approaches of political parties in political system, which are historical-sociological approach and the organizational-institutional approach and review their strengths & weaknesses.

The Sociological Approach of The Comparative Politics

        This approach came into limelight in the 1960s, when different party systems around Western Europe had emerged with the passage of time. In 1967, a study was published by Lipset & Rokkan, who tried to explain that how social groups as well as interests can be crucial in political parties’ emergence. It was said that in European context, the strength of political parties was driven by two historical points, one was the industrial revolution, and the other was a national revolution. The social groups came into being keeping these points in view, which had their own affect on the formation of political parties that how these parties would work. So, it was very much evident that size as well as nature of social interests from different social groups was instrumental in formation of political parties. The political elites and their alliances were also important to shape the direction of political parties and their systems (Boix, 2007)

Strength & Weaknesses of the Sociological Approach

        It is critical to have a look at some strengths and weaknesses shown by sociological approach of political parties so that a comparison could be made with the institutional approach. In overall terms, the sociological approach is good one to understand different dynamics of social groups and their relevant interests. It helps to understand that how different groups work in a political party system, and how they make alliance to serve their interests. The other good thing about this approach is that it helps to get an idea about the historical descriptions of formation of political party systems. In a democratic system, the sociological approach can be instrumental in helping citizens to get their interest served through their ideological political parties. But the weakness of this approach is that it does not explain that how interest and social groups come into formation as organized institutions to work for their vested interests. There must be some mechanism behind their formation and plurality to get together at a one point agenda, and this approach lacks to explain those important factors. This approach links political action and parties in simple terms, without explaining other critical aspects (Boix, 2007) 

The Institutional Approach of The Comparative Politics

In this approach, the basic idea is that when people form social interest groups for their own interest, then there must be some institutional or organizational structures, which help them to get representation for different groups or ideas. For instance, if socialist group is looking to protect its social rights, then it is not happening on its own, rather the socialist concept has organized those people to get together, and then work for a common interest as an organized force. When the idea is to get representation with some institutional aspect, then proportional representation is the most dominant factor in this regard, which determines that there would be multi parties in a democratic systems, and each institution behind different party systems would work for their own interests. The electoral rule and constitution would be driving these parties forward (Hellmann, 2011)

Strength & Weaknesses of the Institutional Approach 

        The organizational and institutional approach is good for political system, as it strengthens the overall democratic process in different ways. The organized group of people in an electoral system can work collectively for their vested interests, and these interests may serve the purpose of large amount of citizens. However, this approach has two major weaknesses. First, the rules serving in the political system cannot determine that what kind of electoral support as well as ideological commitments would be achieved by certain groups. Secondly, the institutional models are an obstruction to make any viable changes. These institutions are based on some basic concepts, and it is hard to change those ideas in quick manner (Boix, 2007)

Conclusion on The Comparative Politics

        Looking at different aspects of parties and party systems, and after examining two critical party approaches, it can be said that each approach has its own crucial role to play in political democratic system. The number of parties would determine that how a political system would work. The plurality rule can help restricted groups to work for their interests, and that’s why two party systems are maintained in such political arenas, whereas multi party system is generated, when the purpose is to achieve proportional representation. Both approaches are quite different from each other, but both are critical for the democratic political process to continue.

References of The Comparative Politics

Boix, C. (2007). CHAPTER 21: THE EMERGENCE OF PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS. In The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics (pp. 500-520). Oxford University Press.

Hellmann, O. (2011). A Historical Institutionalist Approach to Political Party Organization: The Case of South Korea. Government and Opposition , 46 (4), 464-484.

Lupu, N., & Riedl, R. B. (2012). Political Parties and Uncertainty in Developing Democracies. Comparative Political Studies , 46 (11).

Randall, V., & Svasand, L. (2002). Introduction: The Contribution of Parties to Democracy and Democratic Consolidation. Democratization , 9 (3), 1-10.

Saarts, T. (2018). The Sociological Approach in Party System Analysis: The Baltic Sates in the Central and Eastern European Context (PhD thesis). Tallinn University.