"Political parties perform a series of functions in the democracy." Explain the statement with examples.
"Political parties perform a series of functions in the democracy." Explain the statement with examples.
Political parties perform several key functions in a democracy. They contest elections, giving voters real choices (e.g., BJP, Congress, DMK contesting Lok Sabha/Assembly polls). The winning party/coalition forms and runs the government, appointing ministers. Parties that lose form the opposition, raising dissenting voices and checking the ruling party. Parties also shape public opinion through campaigns on issues like price rise or corruption, and provide citizens easy access to government machinery and welfare schemes via local leaders and workers. Together, these functions show that large-scale democracy cannot function without political parties.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for explaining 2 functions of political parties with a relevant example each (e.g., contesting elections; forming the government).
- 21 mark for explaining 1-2 more functions with example (e.g., playing the role of opposition; shaping public opinion).
- 31 mark for explaining the remaining function(s) with example (e.g., providing access to government welfare machinery) and/or an overall concluding link showing parties are indispensable to democracy.
- 4Any three well-explained, example-backed functions covering the range above should receive full marks; award marks for correct examples even if the sequence differs from the model answer.
Hint
Structure the answer as: (i) contest elections, (ii) form government, (iii) act as opposition, (iv) shape public opinion, (v) provide access to welfare — and attach one real example to at least two or three of these points.
Quick Oral Answer
Political parties contest elections, form and run the government when they win, act as a watchful opposition when they lose, shape public opinion on key issues, and give ordinary citizens easier access to government welfare schemes — all essential to keeping a democracy functioning.
Analysis & Explanation
Political parties are organised groups with shared political views who seek power through elections, and they perform functions that form the backbone of representative democracy.
Functions (need example for each)
- Contest elections, giving voters a real choice — e.g., BJP, Congress, DMK contesting Lok Sabha/Assembly polls.
- The winning party/coalition forms and runs the government.
- Losing parties form the opposition, checking the ruling party and voicing dissent.
- Parties shape public opinion via campaigns on issues like price rise or corruption, and provide citizens easy access to government machinery/welfare through local leaders.
Common mistakes
- Listing functions without any real example loses marks, since the question explicitly says "explain... with examples."
- Confusing party functions with those of pressure/interest groups, which do not contest elections or form governments.
Common Mistakes
- 1Listing functions of political parties without giving any concrete example, losing marks under the 'with examples' requirement of the question.
- 2Confusing political parties with pressure groups/interest groups, which influence policy without contesting elections or forming governments.
- 3Writing only 2 functions when the question (3 marks) expects roughly three distinct, well-explained functions.
Interesting Facts
India has more than 2,500 registered political parties, though only a handful are recognised as 'national parties' by the Election Commission based on strict vote-share and seat-share criteria.
The Anti-Defection Law, introduced by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985, reinforces party discipline by disqualifying legislators who defect from the party on whose ticket they were elected.
India's Election Commission periodically revises the criteria for 'national' and 'state' party status, and several regional parties have gained or lost this status over recent decades as their vote shares changed.
Spotted a mistake or something unclear?
Tell us — we fix reported answers fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are political parties considered necessary for large democracies?
Because in a large country it is impossible for every citizen to be consulted individually on every issue; political parties aggregate the varied opinions of citizens into a few broad alternatives, allowing elections, government formation, and policy debate to function smoothly.
What is the difference between the ruling party and the opposition party's function?
The ruling party (or coalition with a majority) forms and runs the government, implementing policies, while the opposition parties check the government, criticise its wrong policies, and present alternative programmes to the electorate.