Question

“There are many challenges before the political parties.” Examine the statement.

Hint:

Organise the answer around four challenges, lack of internal democracy, dynastic succession, money and muscle power, and the absence of a meaningful choice for voters. Close with the reforms suggested.

Answer 1

Concept:

• Political parties are necessary for a democracy, but they can serve it well only if they are themselves run in a democratic and honest manner.
• Four weaknesses are commonly identified in their working.

Step 1: Lack of internal democracy.
Power inside most parties is concentrated in the hands of one or a few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers up to date, do not hold organisational meetings regularly and do not conduct internal elections.
Ordinary members have no way of influencing decisions, so those who disagree either give in or leave to start another party.

Step 2: Dynastic succession.
Because decision making inside parties is closed, leaders at the top favour people close to them, very often their own family members. In many parties the top positions are controlled by members of one family.
This is unfair to other members and bad for democracy, since people without experience or popular support can reach high office.

Step 3: The growing role of money and muscle power.
Since parties are focused on winning elections, they tend to use short cuts. They select candidates who have money or who can win by any means, sometimes including people with a criminal background.
Rich individuals and companies that fund parties gain influence over their policies and decisions.

Step 4: Parties often fail to offer a meaningful choice.
A democracy needs a real choice, yet the ideological differences among parties have narrowed in many countries. In India the difference between the economic policies of the major parties has become very small.
Voters who want a genuinely different set of policies often find no party representing them.

Step 5: Why these challenges must be addressed.
Each weakness reduces the ability of a party to represent the people who vote for it. Reforms such as regulating internal affairs, curbing the role of money, reserving places for women and ordinary members, and state funding of elections have therefore been suggested.

Final Answer: The main challenges are the absence of internal democracy, dynastic succession, the growing weight of money and muscle power, and the narrowing of policy differences that leaves voters without a meaningful choice.