In this article you will learn about the Multi Party System in Political Science.
Multi Party System
A Multi Party System is the party system which has several equally active and influential political parties. Several parties are actively and continuously involved in the struggle for power. From time to time different political parties keep on getting the opportunity to exercise political power in the state. Sometimes these do so by forming coalition groups or fronts. In such a system, at times, no single party is in a position to get a clear majority in the elections. In this situation several parties form a coalition to form the government.
The Multi Party System can be a source of lack of good political stability in the system. India has a large number of political parties. Between 1947 – 90, the Indian multi party system worked as a one party dominant multi party system. However, now it has been working as a real multi-party system with several active and powerful political parties. It has given rise to coalition politics in India. Because of the existence of multi-party systems political instability has been a chronic feature of Italian and French political systems. In Italy, the government-making mostly remains a highly problematic affair as the coalition partners – Communists, Socialists, Democratic Socialists, Christian Democrats and others remain continuously involved in conflict and their actions keep up an environment of active and continuous political instability. In France, the Socialists, Communists, Gaullists, Liberals and Republicans are the major parties of the multi-party system.
India also has a multi-party system. There are various active political parties in the Indian political system. The BJP, Congress, CPM, CPI, BSP, NCP, SP, DMK, TDP, PDP, AIADMK, BJD, RJD, BSP, Akali Dal, INLD and several others are major national and regional political parties of the Indian political system. The Indian multi-party system has been now responsible both for the emergence of coalition politics as well as an unstable system of political alliances and counter alliances.
Merits of Multi Party System
1. Natural for a Society with Socio-Economic-Cultural Diversities
2. More Choice for the Voters
3. Compels the political parties to cooperate and form alliances
4. Ruling parties (alliance of some parties) cannot behave in an arbitrary way
5. Several Alternative Governments can be formed
6. More political education for the people
7. The Nation remains free from rigid groupism
All these are the merits of a multi-party system.
Demerits of Multi Party System
1. Unprincipled alliances
2. Source of Hung Legislature
3. Ineffective Legislatures
4. Evil of Political Defections
5. Election of less popular representatives
6. Unstable Governments
7. Not really suitable for the Parliamentary System of Government
8. More Party Politics and Lack of Discipline among party members
9. More Chances of Corruption
10. Lack of Healthy and Strong Oppositions
11. Less Development
12. Source of Confused Public Opinion
Thus, there are several demerits of the Multi Party System. Almost all the political scientists accept its weaknesses. In comparison with bi-party system, the multi-party system appears to be a weaker and less useful system.
However, it must be said that a multi-party system is always the product of the social, economic, cultural, regional and political environment of each society. It naturally comes into existence in a society characterised by diversities. The Multi Party System has been naturally present in India. We have to accept it, live with it and try to check its demerits. Most of its demerits are the product of selfishness of the political leaders and the ignorance of the people about their real political interests and needs. Certainly, several of its demerits can be reduced through conscious efforts. Further, the Indian multi-party system can take the form of a system of two or three political alliances or coalition groups. Some like-minded political parties can form one group or alliance, some others can form the second group or alliance and the remaining can join hands to form a third alliance. These three distinct and well organised alliances can make the Indian multi-party system work as a tri-party system or even as a two-alliance system. This can definitely reduce some of the demerits of the multi-party system. However, it must be ensured that each alliance must work on the basis of agreed principles and policies with a determined commitment for the agreed principles and policies.
This article on Multi Party System in Political Science is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.