CBSE Class 10 Answered

Following factors make political parties absolutely indispensable for modern democracies:

• In the absence of political   parties,   every   candidate   will be   an independent candidate. Such  representatives  might  be  responsible  to their  constituency,  but  no  one  can  then  be  held  accountable  for  the running of the country as a whole.
• As societies are becoming larger and more complex, there is a need for a general will that  can  be  reached  at  through  dialogue.
• Such a dialogue has   to   be   facilitated   by   bringing   together   of representatives   from different   parts   of   a   country.   Only   then   can   there   be   responsible government.
• Political parties allow the democratic machinery to function smoothly. They serve as both policy makers and opposition.
• Parties   contest   elections,   they   put   forward   various   policies   and programmes  for  the  electorate’s  consideration,  they  participate  in parliamentary legislation process, they form and run governments,  they provide  people  access  to  government  machinery  and  welfare  schemes and shape and articulate public opinion.