Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term - Senior Secondary 1

Party systems I

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Term: 3rd Term

Week: 4

Class: Senior Secondary School 1

Age: 15 years

Duration: 40 minutes of 2 periods each

Date:       

Subject:      Government

Topic:-       Party systems I

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to

  1. Define party system
  2. State and explain the types of party systems
  3. Highlight the characteristics of party systems

 INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, videos from source

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Videos, loud speaker, textbook, pictures

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

PERIOD 1-2

PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITY

STUDENT’S ACTIVITY

STEP 1

INTRODUCTION

The teacher reviews the previous lesson on political party

Students pay attention

STEP 2

EXPLANATION

He explains the meaning of party systems. He states and explains the types of party systems

 

Students pay attention and participates

STEP 3

DEMONSTRATION

He highlights characteristics of party systems

Students pay attention and participate

STEP 4

NOTE TAKING

The teacher writes a summarized note on the board

The students copy the note in their books

 

NOTE

PARTY SYSTEMS

Party system refers to the number of parties that compete for power and consequent control of governmental machinery in a polity. The entire group of parties in a country forms the political party system. The party system reflects the pattern of relationships between individual parties in relation to each other. For instance PDP, SDP, APC, LP etc. forms a party system. 

 

A manifesto is usually a blueprint of what a political party intends to do if and when it is elected into office.

 

Differences between Political Parties and Party System

Political parties are organized group of citizens, who act together as a political unit, having distinctive aims and objectives involving political questions in the state and acting together and wishing to get control of government whereas party system is the conduct of government based on the number of political parties within the system.

 

TYPES OF PARTY SYSTEM

At the moment three party systems can be identified. They are

  1. one party system as represented by Tanzania, Egypt and Spain
  2. two- or bi-party system as represented by the United States of America and Britain
  3. multi-party system as represented by Norway, Sweden and Nigeria.

 

One-Party System

A one-party system is that in which only one political party exists and the forming of other political parties is forbidden. That is to say only one party is recognized by the constitution of the country. The formation of any other party in such system is not only prohibited but are also illegal.

Though some countries have many political parties, only one that can by law be in control, which is called a one-party dominant state.  For example, in China all power is vested in the Communist Party of China. Other parties are allowed to exist only if they accept the leading role of the Communist Party.

As of April 2015, there are seven states that are ruled by a single party:

  1. China
  2. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)
  3. Vietnam
  4. Laos
  5. Cuba
  6. Eritrea
  7. Western Sahara

One party system may be defined as a political arrangement in which only one political party is legally and constitutionally allowed to operate. One or single party system operates better in a smaller and non-multicultural society. Some African countries like Nkrumah’s Ghana. Guinea under Ahmed Toure, Kenyatta’s Kenya, Zaire, Tanzania, Zambia, etc. Have at one time or the other operated one party system.

Types of One-Party System

One party system is of two types:

  1. De jure one party system
  2. De facto one party system

De Jure One-Party System

This is one party system in which only one political party is legally and constitutionally allowed to operate. This system is practiced in Russia, China, Cuba, Malawi etc.

De Facto One-Party System

This type of one-party system exists where there is no legal or constitutional prohibitions on other parties to exist rather the competing political parties are gradually eliminated from functioning through the electoral processes for example Senegal under Leopold Sedar Senghor with Union Progressiste Senegalaise as the dominant political party despite the presence of other weak parties.

Characteristics of One-Party System

  1. There is one officially recognized party. Only one party exist legally.
  2. Dependent mass-media: No private individual is allowed to run a private media outfit.
  3. Single ideology: The recognized party determines the political ideology of the country.
  4. No opposition party: There is no vacuum for opposition party.
  5. It is vulnerable to arbitrary rule (dictatorship). This system is open to dictatorial tendencies.
  6. The constitution makes provision for a single party. Only one party is constitutionally recognized.
  7. The oppression of political competition and democratic freedom

 

Two-Party System

Two-party system may be in two forms:

  1. It may be that only two parties are officially and legally allowed to exist. The United States is an example of a two-party system in which the majority of elected officials are either Democrats or Republicans.
  2. It may be that over time only two parties have emerged to be dominant parties and have the chance of winning the election out of a number of parties that are existing e.g. Britain. This means there may be more than two parties in existence.

Therefore, “two-party system” means that two parties primarily dominate the political competition, while other smaller parties only play a subordinate role.

Characteristics of Two-Party System

  1. There are only two dominant political parties that are legally and constitutionally recognized. However, there may be numerous parties competing for electoral positions.
  2. Opposition party is officially recognized.
  3. There is room and opportunity for choice of candidates and parties.
  4. It allows for application of democratic principles.
  5. It provide vacuum for press freedom
  6. There is room for change in government because there is provision for periodic elections.
  7. The opposition party is seen as a corrective party in government. It act as checks and balance to the incumbent leader.

 

Multi-Party System

This is a system where more than two parties compete for the control of power in a political system. That is to say it a system in which there are more than two political parties which are legally and constitutionally recognized to operate in a country. There can be numerous party. Sometimes some of the multi-party combines and cooperate in an election to fight a common enemy. Thus, in a “multi-party system”, more than two parties have an effect on the political competition. Examples of countries with the multi-party system are Nigeria, Sweden, and Norway etc.

Features of Multi-Party System

  1. There are numerous registered political parties in the system.
  2. All political parties are legally and constitutionally recognized.
  3. There variety of parties and programmme for easy choice making by the electorates.
  4. There is enhance and widened political education / enlightenment.
  5. There is broader political spectrum representation.
  6. There is then tendency of establishing a coalition government.
  7. There is no room for despotic leadership.
  8. There periodic conduct of electioneering activities.
  9. It upholds democratic principles.

EVALUATION:    1. Define party systems

  1. Mention and explain the types of party systems
  2. State the characteristics of each types of party system

CLASSWORK: As in evaluation

CONCLUSION: The teacher commends the students positively