Linkage Between Political Participation and Political

Development

ContentsPolitical participationTypes of Political ParticipationForms of Political ParticipationDemographic Characteristics of political

participationPolitical developmentCharacteristics of political developmentImpact of political participation on political

developmentPolitical participation as crises in political

developmentConclusion

Political participation

Political participation affords citizens in a democracy an opportunity to communicate information to government officials about their concerns and preferences and to put pressure on them to respond. (Verba, 1995)

Political participation includes activities that have the intent or effect of influencing government action- either directly influencing the selection of people who make these policies; that participation is not obligatory and receives no pay or only taken financial compensation. (Verba, 1995)

Types of Political Participation

Unconventional Participation

Conventional participation

It is a relatively uncommon behavior that challenges or defies government channels or that dominant culture. It is usually stressful for both participants and their opponents.

it is relatively routine, added behavior that uses the channels of representative government. Supportive behaviors are main ceremonial acts expressing allegiance to government and country.

Forms of Political Participation

Voting Working in and contributing to electoral

campaigns Contacting government officials Attending protests, marches, or demonstrations Working informally with the others to solve same

community problems Serving without pay on local elected & appointed

boards Being active politically through the

intermediation of voluntry associations Contributing money to political causes

Demographic Characteristics of political participation

Education

Race and ethnicity

Gender

Religious involvement

Age

Two party competition

Political development

According to Eisentadt, Political development is conceived as a process of meeting new goals and demands in a flexible manner. It has in fact, been suggested that flexibility of symbols, of institutions, of establishing and meeting goals and demands, is the central element of modernization process.

Gabrial Almond conceives of political development as the acquisition by political system of a “new capability, in the sense of a specialized role structure and differentiated orientations which together give a political system the possibility of responding efficiently, and more or less autonomously, to a new range of problems.”

Characteristics of Political Development

Equality: it involves the concept of equal and objective application of laws to all citizens. It also includes the concept of political recruitment based on merit and performance and not on inscriptive consideration.

Capacity:

the capacity of a political system to effect the social and economic life of the society through its outputs.

Differentiation and

Specialization:

Along with differentiation, there is increased functional specialization of various roles within the system and it also involves the integration of complex structures and processes.

Impact of political participation on political developmentLucian W. Pye links Political development with political

awakening of people.The process of mass participation is a legitimate part of

political development but it also have the dangers of sterile emotionalism or corrupting demography, both can weaken the strength of society.

Political participation can lead to the acceptance of a political system characterized by many demonstrations, mass responses to elite manipulation, populist movements etc, as a politically developed system.

According to Samuel P. Huntington, In today’s world, equality of political participation is growing more rapidly then is the “art of associating together.” He cariticizes the mobilization and participation. According to Huntington as the mobilization and participation are increasing, the institutionalization is being less focused, and it is leading towards political decay.

Political participation as crises in political development

Political participation can be a crises in political development.

New participants can create a strain on existing institutions

As new segments of population will enter in politics then new interests and new issues will arise.

Conclusion There is an obvious correlation between

political development and political participation. The problem with political Participation is the classic issue of balancing popular sentiments with public order. Political participation depends on the way the people think and if they take the responsibility to be active. In this way it will leads the political system towards democracy and building of democracy is the process of political development.