Political parties in context

• What is a party system?

  A structure of political parties in governance
• How do party systems influence governance?

  They affect inter-party relationships and operations
• What are the types of party systems?

  1. One-party system
  2. Dominant-party system
  3. Two-party system
  4. Two-and-a-half-party system
  5. Multi-party system
• What characterizes a one-party system?

  Only one legal party exists
• What defines a two-party system?

  Two parties dominate and alternate in power
• What is a dominant-party system?

  One party holds most power with limited influence from others
• Which party is an example of a dominant-party system in Scotland?

  SNP
• Which country is an example of a two-party system?

  USA
• What is a two-and-a-half-party system?

  Two main parties compete with a significant third party
• Which parties are examples of a two-and-a-half-party system in the UK?

  Liberal Democrats and SNP
• What characterizes a multi-party system?

  Multiple parties compete, often leading to coalitions
• Which countries are examples of multi-party systems?

  Germany and Italy
• How does the first-past-the-post system impact party dominance?

  It promotes two-party dominance
• What does proportional representation encourage?

  Multi-party systems
• Which parties historically dominated the UK party system?

  Labour and Conservatives
• How has devolution impacted party systems in Scotland?

  SNP creates a dominant-party system
• What is the party system in Wales characterized by?

  Labour dominates but forms coalitions
• How is Northern Ireland's party system described?

  Multi-party in nature, dominated by DUP and Sinn Féin
• What is the effect of FPTP on UK elections?

  It reinforces a two-party system in results
• What challenges do small parties face?

  Limited funding, media exposure, and organization
• What are pathways to success for small parties?

  Strong financial backing and geographic concentration
• What key factors contribute to party success?

  Leadership, unity, media influence
• How do regional contexts affect party representation in the UK?

  They show more diversity in party representation
• What leadership qualities do the public prioritize?

  Experience, decisiveness, and media image
• Why is unity important for parties?

  Divided parties are unlikely to succeed
• How does media influence party success?

  It shapes public opinion but is not decisive
• What role does social media play in party success?

  Increasingly relevant but harder to control
• What are the core functions of political parties in the UK?

  1. Selecting candidates and training leaders
  2. Mobilizing public support and organizing Parliament
  3. Ensuring effective and comprehensible elections
• What is a critique of the FPTP electoral system?

  It can distort representation and allow minority rule
• How does adversarial politics affect political choices?

  It encourages simplistic or polarized choices
• What is a critique regarding elitism in political parties?

  It limits leadership opportunities to members
• How do parties claim electoral legitimacy?

  By claiming mandates despite minority support