Typology of political parties: types and main characteristics

The typology of political parties makes it possible to comprehend their role in public life and politics in general.

In modern political science, division on the basis of the class and social basis has become widespread. According to this criterion, the following parties are singled out:

1. Classroom. In many states, there are those parties that stand for the interests of any class or strata of the population.

2. Those that represent several classes or social groups. For example, in Denmark, conservative Narodniks defend the requirements of industrial and financial capital, as well as the interests of landlords and nobles.

3. Parties of individual social strata or groupings.

The modern typology of political parties was developed in the middle of the 20th century by political scientist from France Maurice Duverger. He singled out the so-called binary classification, in which personnel and mass parties are noted. This principle is based on the kind of connections between the population and the party, as well as the internal structure.

In addition to these, there are several other classifications that are popular in the modern world. So, among them are the following:

1. Typology of political parties by ideological orientation, according to which there is a classification on the right, left and centrist.

2. Separation according to the nature of the activity, as well as the content of goals and objectives. Such parties are distinguished by four types: revolutionary, conservative, reactionary and reformist.

3. Differentiation in place in the government: the ruling and the opposition.

4. Types of parties according to the conditions of activity: legal, semi-legal and illegal.

There is also a division into authoritarian and democratic, secular and religious, etc.

At one time, an American sociologist developed a classification of political parties, which also received international recognition. He shared them according to functional and organizational criteria. As a result, the types of political parties were as follows:

1. Belonging to the avant-garde type, which stood out during the development of the labor movement. The political scientist believed that if this kind of gaining power, he quickly succumb to the influence of bureaucracy and become part of the administrative system.

2. Electoral parties. Their purpose is election campaigns. As a rule, in such parties, membership is not fixed, and party tickets are not issued and fees are not charged. The financial resource is based on voluntary donations of individuals, companies and any organizations, as well as on deductions from the state budget.

3. Parliamentary parties. If we consider their functionality, it is similar to the election parties. But their tasks are more diverse and cover the mechanism of parliamentary activity: the development of principles for the conduct of the election campaign, the study of public opinion, which concerns the standard of living of the population and its various spheres, as well as the selection of relevant candidates and their preparation for the election race.

4. Party-community (clubs). They are mass organizations in which citizens are united with common cultural needs and views, and only then with similar political predilections.

5. "Pocket" party. They are small in number of their members. They are created by the failed leaders and orient them to their program in order to realize their egoistic aspirations and desire to establish themselves. Party leaders themselves determine the line of its behavior and enjoy unlimited influence.

It should be noted that any represented typology of political parties does not exclude another, and cases of their combination are not uncommon, which becomes an excellent basis for analyzing their activities.