Introduction
Democracy represents the form of government that prioritizes the citizens’ authority by allowing them to choose governing officials. Overall, democracy can be acknowledged as the people’s rule over the country. However, the presence of such elements as interest groups and political parties interested in attracting more supporters to acquire more power may look like a barrier to democracy. This essay will explain that interest groups and political parties help maintain democracy and support it by getting more people involved in politics and uniting them for better representation of the nation’s interests.
Discussion
Firstly, in order to understand the role of interest groups and political parties in democracy support, it is important to acquire a basic understanding of their purposes. Thus, interest groups present associations of individuals connected by shared concerns who express their opinions publicly in an attempt to influence the existing policies. Interest groups are not necessarily limited to individuals, as different organizations or businesses can also unite in interest groups. Therefore, interest groups present one of the ways for the public to share their concerns and try to change the current situation for the better by imposing public pressure on policymakers. Common examples of interest groups include associations of people with different diseases or disabilities, unions of retired people, and small business advocacy groups.
Next, political parties are also organizations uniting people with similar interests. However, while interest groups only try to influence policymakers, political parties aim to acquire power and use it to achieve the group’s initial goals. Compared to interest groups that are not directly related to the country’s elections, political parties fight for the right to represent the nation’s interests. Thus, while political parties and interest groups can relate to each other through similar interests, political parties have significantly more influence than interest groups.
Considering the importance of political parties and interest groups for democracy, both perceive democracy support as their function. However, interest groups play an important role in bringing together people with similar concerns. Therefore, interest groups support democracy by ensuring that the state and policymakers consider all of the population’s concerns. Even though the outcomes of interest groups’ influence may have different results, they give people the voice necessary for democracy embodiment. Moreover, by protecting the interests of different groups of people, interest groups play a big role in involving more of the population in the country’s political activities and decision-making.
Furthermore, political parties also protect the population’s interests by creating platforms that offer solutions to the most important public concerns. Moreover, political parties play an important role in choosing candidates that can represent the interests of the people in the role of president. On the other hand, the elections give the population the right to choose a candidate who can better administer power on behalf of the people. Therefore, political parties enable careful selection of the relevant problems for a more effective solution of these problems by the nation’s trusted person.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this essay explains how interest groups and political parties support democracy. Contrary to possible misunderstandings, interest groups and political parties do not intend to sway the population’s opinions in their favor. On the contrary, interest groups and political parties allow more people’s involvement in the country’s political life. They also target the protection of the population’s interests, better representation in the government’s administration, and selection of the most important public concerns for their prompt resolution.