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Unit 10: Party System

This model has its own merits and demerits. Its merits are: Notes
1. It ensures successful working of the parliamentary form of government. The party getting
absolute majority forms the government, the other party forms the opposition. In this way, the
government and the opposition form the fore and back legs of a democratic stag. The ministers
feel secure in their position; they know that they may not be voted out by the opposition party
so long as they are united and their ranks have the mark of solidarity.
2. The stability of government has its natural effect on the efficiency of administration. The
government is in a position to maintain and effectively pursue its policies and programmes.
3. This system keeps a good option before the people. In general election, they give their verdict in
favour of one party. But when they feel dissatisfied with the working of the party, they may put
another party in power. The opposition party always ensures the formation of an alternative
government.
4. Each major party plays a positive and constructive role so as to win the sympathy of the electorate.
It behaves in a very responsible way so that the other party may not cash political capital out of
its objectionable act of commission and omission.
In short, the bi-partyism “is the only method by which the people can at the electoral period directly
choose its government. It enables the government to drive its policy to the statute book. It makes known
and intelligible the result of its failure. It brings an alternative government into immediate being.” So
Barker says: “Multiply the sides, and you get a tangle of cross-threads which perplex the mind.”
But it has its demerits too which are:
1. It puts limits on the choice of the electorate. The voters are bound to choose only one of the two
alternatives before them. It may be that they dislike both and yet they have to give their verdict
in favour of either. In this way, it puts definite limits on the expression of public opinion.
2. It is said that the division of the nation into only two political parties “must obviously be more
or less unreal or arbitrary, since it would be absurd to suggest that there could ever be only two
schools of thought in a nation.”
3. It strengthens the position of the government (cabinet) to the extent that the position of the
legislature (parliament) is undermined. The ministers enjoy a safe tenure and they do not bother
much for the criticism of the opposition leaders. The party in power is backed by a comfortable
majority with the result that the authority of the legislature is declined. It leads to the emergence
of ‘cabinet dictatorship.”
4. It substitutes blind devotion for intelligent appreciation and choice in both the leaders and the
led. The leaders of the two major parties get undue importance and the followers lose their
individuality.
In spite of this, it may be said that while single-party system is dictatorial, bi-party system is democratic.
Finally, we take up the case of multi-party system. It signifies the existence of many political parties,
big and small, in the country. The alternation of power takes place between parties more than two; it
is also possible that coalition governments are formed which work successfully. France, Holland,
Belgium, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, South Africa and India are the leading
instances here.
The panorama of party system is so fluid that a good number of pressure groups behave like political
parties. The cases of fragmentation and polarisation of political parties may also be taken note of. It is
also possible that some minor political organisations emerge at the time of elections and then they
disappear. But the most essential fact remains that three, four, or even more parties manage to share
power.
As we have seen in the case of bi-party system, so here we may note its merits and demerits. Its merits
are:
1. It gives ample choice to the voters. They may examine and cross-examine the policies and
programmes of different parties and then give their verdict in favour of one, or of few they like
best. That is, it widens the choice of the electors and provides avenues of their satisfaction.

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