Social Sciences: A Foundation Course
SOSC A101 Social Sciences: A Foundation Course
Assignment 2
Question: a What is a political party? b ‘Political parties are powerless in Hong Kong because they cannot form government and make policies.’ Discuss.
Student name: Lam Tsz Ho
Student no: S11421101
Introduction
In this year, Occupy Central arouses a lot of controversies. It is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to “international standards”. Many people said that Hong Kong people are political apathy. After this, they show that they are willing to participate in political activities. Some of them are members of political parties. They have different stances about politics. However, these political parties help to develop Hong Kong politics.
What are the structure, functions and goals of political parties? In what ways are political parties different from pressure groups?
‘Political parties are permanent organizations which contest elections, usually because they seek to occupy the decisive positions of authority within the state. Unlike interest groups, which seek merely to influence the government, serious parties aim to secure the levers of power. In Weber’s phrase, parties live ‘in a house of power’.’ #1
Political parties have power to realize their wishes and make others accept their ways in spite of the existence of obstacles, resistance and opposition. Because of elections, a group of people forms a party to get positions in parliament. People are formed by same goal.
There are different functions of political parties. First, they serve as agents of elite recruitment. They provide experience and power for the future political leaders. Those people will be presented as
Assignment 2
Question: a What is a political party? b ‘Political parties are powerless in Hong Kong because they cannot form government and make policies.’ Discuss.
Student name: Lam Tsz Ho
Student no: S11421101
Introduction
In this year, Occupy Central arouses a lot of controversies. It is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to “international standards”. Many people said that Hong Kong people are political apathy. After this, they show that they are willing to participate in political activities. Some of them are members of political parties. They have different stances about politics. However, these political parties help to develop Hong Kong politics.
What are the structure, functions and goals of political parties? In what ways are political parties different from pressure groups?
‘Political parties are permanent organizations which contest elections, usually because they seek to occupy the decisive positions of authority within the state. Unlike interest groups, which seek merely to influence the government, serious parties aim to secure the levers of power. In Weber’s phrase, parties live ‘in a house of power’.’ #1
Political parties have power to realize their wishes and make others accept their ways in spite of the existence of obstacles, resistance and opposition. Because of elections, a group of people forms a party to get positions in parliament. People are formed by same goal.
There are different functions of political parties. First, they serve as agents of elite recruitment. They provide experience and power for the future political leaders. Those people will be presented as