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2015-16
POLITICAL SCIENCE
FINAL PROJECT
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF INNER PARTY DEMOCRACY
INTRODUCTION___________________________________________________________1
A. MULTIPARTY SYSTEMS__________________________________________________2
B. POLITICAL PARTIES REPRESENT THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF THE
POLITICAL WILL OF THE PEOPLE__________________________________________2
C. THE CONCEPT OF MERITOCRACY______________________________________2
D. SETTING THE NORMS OF SOCIAL CONDUCT_____________________________3
A. PARTY COMMITTEE AND THE SELECTION OF A LEADER_________________4
B. IDEOLOGY AND POLICY FORMATION___________________________________4
C. IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDATES______________________________________5
D. TRANSPARENCY IN DECISION MAKING_________________________________5
E. SCIENTIFIC MINDEDNESS OF THE MEMBERS____________________________5
CONCLUSION_____________________________________________________________9
BIBLIOGRAPHY__________________________________________________________III
INTRODUCTION
For the purpose of this submission, the scholar would like to divide this
paper into 5 major components:
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True democracy can function only if such democracy exists in all levels of
the system. The need for Inner Party Democracy arises from this idea
that the major features of a democracy such as transparency,
accountability, inclusion, strengthening of the civil society etc. are
maintained.
As a common man, the scholar would like to see the system that he is
governed by to function properly. Inner Party Democracy ensures that
such features are preserved. Three major reasons however shall be given
in support of the scholars argument that Inner Party Democracy is of
supreme importance in the civil society.
A. MULTIPARTY SYSTEMS
Multiparty competitive systems deem that parties are a key to and a major
factor of political power. All political parties, in attainment as well as
exercise of power, must be adequately democratic; Only then can the
political process of making and running a government be truly democratic.
For the above stated reason, the process of will formation and mobilisation
of action for the good of the people must follow the fundamentals of
democratic functioning; In the absence of this, the political culture of
militancy and authoritarianism set in which are undesirable for obvious
reasons.
3 See Richard A. Posner, Law Pragmatism and Democracy, 1st ed. (2003),
p. 98
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It is an established fact that democracy does not function automatically;
while this principle is clearly laid down in the Constitution, it does finally
come down to the competence of the citizens and thus the parties key
factor of functioning. Charisma, vision, skill and commitment of the
leaders is what the leadership should demand. This can happen only
through democratic functioning.
Political parties are the only links that connect the people to the
government. The represent therefore, the true functioning; Their
,mode /method of functioning will in turn also affect the functioning of
other manifestations of peoples political will.
In the functioning of parties, the factor of inclusion has largely been left
out of many debates. This scholar considers it immensely important.
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MAJOR ELEMENTS OF INNER PARTY DEMOCRACY
Periodic meetings and recalls are effective instruments of this. This makes
the marty functioning more professional in its outlook.
If party policy does not represent the thinking of the majority of its
individuals , its policies will, in the long run be rendered ineffective. Here
the scholar would like to point out the nuances and the relevance of the
concept of majority.
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The term majority is defined by the Websters Dictionary as proposing a
number greater than 50%. The significance of the term however, is
twofold. Firstly, the fact that more than 50
C. IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDATES
The United States of America is the best example of primary elections and
deserves applaud. The scholar would like to fleetingly mention the system
followed in China at a later stage of this submission.
The entire partys decisions and decision making process must be made
known, not only to the members, but to all the people; this is because
transparency in decision making processes is the major tool for judging
the mertis and demerits of party functioning.
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This seeks to serve two major purposes. Firstly, it gives members a
platform to study the party leadership. Secondly, it provides a platform to
potential leaders for the same; and lastly it makes a party public in the
true sense.
1. Inquisitiveness of members
2. Open-mindedness
3. Critical Mind
6 See Robert A. Dahl, On Democracy, 1st ed. (1998), p. 224 : The author
describes these reasons in detail explaining the vital merits of
Constitutional regulation of Inner Party Democracy.
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C. In a democratic system, no institution must be above the
constitution; parties must be subject to constitutional regulations
and constitutional methods of functioning.
Similarly Article 51(5) in the Portugese Constitution 9 and the Finnish Act
on Political Parties prescribes that internal structure and management of
political parties must be democratic.
The scholars argument is that the Constitution of India too must provide
for such safeguards and legal provisions to ensure democratic functioning
of parties. In retrospection, the negatives of such a system would be hard
to find.
7 http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/parliament/function/germanlaw.pdf,
last visited on 20-09-2008 at 4:30 p.m. IST
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DEMOCRATIC v. UNDEMOCRATIC FUNCTIONING
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CONCLUSION
Our country sees an absence of such functioning at the party level. The
major parties of the country follow an undemocratic system of
authoritarianism and command. While the BJP and the Congress leaders
have at times displayed certain traits to implement the same, the absence
of a set of norms governing such functioning shows large gaps in the
current system of our democracy.
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Inner party democracy takes many forms and can manifest itself in diverse ways.
The ultimate objective is to be as inclusive and representative as possible, keeping in
mind the inherent propensities of party functionaries to filter information as it moves
upwards. Therefore the first stage is in the selection of party functionaries, where
some element of democratic functioning is necessary, if the next stage of distribution
of party tickets for elections is not to be totally rigged. Parties can also introduce
gender sensitivity in their organisational structures without waiting for any
legislation mandating quotas. Finally, the representation of all the three levels of
what is after all a multilevel federal system is of the utmost importance if
democratisation is to take root in the polity.11
Countries like the USA and nations of the European Union have provisions
in party policy and the Constitution itself to ensure democratic functioning
at the party level. The concept of preliminaries in the United States gives
the people a say in the selection of the candidate for the Presidential
Elections in the country. Similarly countries of the European Union have
provisions in their Constitutions to facilitate democratic functioning of
parties.
Our country too sees the need of such a system; adding to the importance
of this need is the culture of secularism and the existence of varied
communities that necessitate inclusion and wider participation. The
prevailing system does not promote the interests of the larger population
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and hence needs to change. Inner Party Democracy represents that
change.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Naom Chomsky, Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on
Democracy, 1st ed. (2006), Metropolitan Books, New York
Anthony Giddens, The Third Way: The renewal Of Social Democracy, 1st ed.
(1998), Polity Press, London
Robert A. Dahl, On Democracy, 1st ed. (1998), Yale University Press, Yale