The birth of modern political parties can be traced back to the late 18th century. They largely appeared in Europe and the United States. But most of these parties were ‘cadre parties’ — parties formed by economic elites. They invested more in strengthening their relations with a limited electorate who too belonged to elite groups. The working classes were not allowed to vote, and nor were women and non-white segments of the population. 

As industrialisation intensified, the number of people belonging to the working classes expanded. This created tensions between the new ‘bourgeoisie’ (middle/upper-middle classes) and the working classes. Some sections of the bourgeoisie, though, viewed the increasing size of the working classes as potential votes that could shape more ‘democratic’ means to address working class grievances. Thus was born the concept of the ‘mass party.’ 

Mass parties were mostly the creation of the ‘progressive’ bourgeoisie. These parties often organised themselves at the grassroots level and worked towards legislating economic and social reforms. The ‘social democratic’ parties in Europe, the Labour Party in the UK and the post-1930s’ Democratic Party in the US, all have roots in early mass parties.

Many cadre parties too began to transform themselves along similar lines — even though they promised economic prosperity through unregulated capitalism and a social order based on conservative values. The mass party model was also adopted by large fascist movements, but they weren’t interested in democracy. The mass fascist parties believed that societies should be directed by a ‘special’ set of people. They perceived the people of a particular nation or race as a single organic national entity. 

The evolution of modern political parties, from groups created to protect the interests of the elite into structures that precipitated the rise of populism, has........

© Dawn (Magazines)