Političke partije i kampanje
Political parties and campaigns

Author(s): Lisa McLean
Subject(s): Politics, Civil Society, Government/Political systems, Electoral systems
Published by: Centar za građansko obrazovanje (CGO)
Keywords: democracy; political system; political parties; campaigns; elections;
Summary/Abstract: Max Weber once referred to political parties as “the children of democracy,” but in recent years civil society, in the new and emerging democracies, has often become the favored child of international efforts to assist democracy. The international community has promoted civic organizations, assisted them, and supported their expansion and development, often building on the ruins of discredited political parties. This has been a good and necessary endeavor. Yet, strengthening civic organizations, which represent the demand side of the political equation, without providing commensurate assistance to the political organizations that must aggregate the interests of those very groups, ultimately damages the democratic equilibrium. The neglect of political parties, and parliaments, can undermine the very democratic process that development assistance seeks to enhance. This article tries to explain why parties are fundamental to a functioning democracy and how parties in established democracies organize themselves to compete in elections.

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