Combinations.
E Learn the active vocabulary.
a sense of uncertainty to prove vulnerable
material scarcities to place demands on
national pride to achieve progress
an internal warfare to survive
to depend on to lead to
F Make a summary of the text.
UNIT 12
PARTY SYSTEM
The Functions of Parties
The prime purpose of political parties is to win elections. This is what distinguishes them from pressure groups, which may try to influence elections but do not usually put up candidates for office.
They articulate the needs of those sections of society which have created them and look to them to advance their interests. But they must go further, for to win an election they need wider support. If
they wish to be in government-either in a single-party administration or some form of coalition- then they cannot afford to follow a narrow doctrinal programme, for this would make it difficult for other parties to contemplate cooperation with them. In the words of an old quotation: Pressure groups articulate and
political parties aggregate the various interests in society.’
European and other democracies are party democracies. Parties perform important functions in forging links between the individual and those in office. Without them, individual voters would have less control over those in power than they do today, and governments would function in a less cohesive and effective
manner. When that cohesiveness breaks down, government is likely to be ineffective and more remote from the needs and wishes of the people.
Much party activity is concerned with the election period, but parties offer other opportunities for participation and involvement over a continuous period. Among their specific functions, they:
contest elections in order to compete with other parties for elective office;
coordinate political campaigns;
put together coalition of different interests, for a variety of groups and individuals can come together under one broad umbrella, so that any government that emerges is likely to have widespread support in the community;
activate voters by mobilizing their support via campaigning, rallies and emblems of identification, giving them an opportunity for political involvement;
incorporate policy ideas from individuals and groups which are outside the political mainstream, responding to changes suggested by third parties and protest movements;
articulate policies, educating the voters and providing them with a choice of alternatives.
READING PRACTICE
A Scan Text 12.1 and answer the questions:
a) What is the difference between the pressure groups and
political parties?
b) What is the main purpose of political parties?
B Read the text. These phrases summarize the main idea of
Each paragraph. Match each phrase with the correct
Paragraph.
1. peculiar functions of parties
2. the difference between political parties and pressure groups
3. the role of parties
COMPREHENSION
Complete the following by inserting one word in each gap; the
First letter of each missing word is given.
a) The prime p ______ of political parties is to win elections.
b) Pressure groups do not usually put up c _____ for office.
c) To win elections, pressure groups need wide s _________.
d) Political parties aggregate the various interests in s ______
society.
e) European and other countries are party d ______________.
f) Much party activity is concerned with the e _______ period.
g) One of the functions of parties is to provide the voters with a
choice of a ________.
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
A Read the words and guess their meaning. Mind the stress.
'candidates al'ternative
'period con'troll
'emblem indi'vidual
'protest spe'cific
'pressure e'ffective
B Give nouns derived from these verbs.
elect, create, support, cooperate, perform, function,
participate, involve, coordinate, identify, educate.
C Match the English and Russian equivalents.
1. to win elections а) интересы общества
2. to influence elections б) связующим способом
3. to put up candidates в) реагировать на изменения
4. interests of society г) предоставлять выбор
5. to perform functions д) победить на выборах
6. in a cohesive manner е) иметь поддержку
7. to have a support ж) влиять на выборы
8. to respond to changes з) выполнять функции
9. to provide smb. with a choice и) выставлять кандидатуру
D Find the sentences containing the word combinations from
Exercise C in the text, read and translate these sentences.