Advantages of Multi Party System in Democracy

A multiparty system, as the name suggests, is a system that consists of various

political parties that stand across the political spectrum in the normal course of
the electoral process. These parties may exclusively win a majority or may form a
coalition government which is contingent upon the public support it receives
through the vote. The party system is broadly divided into three categories which
any democracy may choose to follow- One-party system, Two-party system, and
Multi-party system.
In order to create a conducive environment for national development, a multi-
party system is universally preferred. India, a parliamentary democracy, follows a
multiparty system wherein individuals are given a wide variety of choices to elect
their representatives. The various factions that exist in the multi-party system
ensure that every political opinion is heard and shaped in the parliamentary
processes. This, in turn, ensures effective implementation of policies undertaken
and that is why countries like India, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France,
Zimbabwe, etc. practice it till today.
Some Important Features of the Multi-party System:

Contest among Various Political Parties and Ideologies:

• Competitiveness is the distinct characteristic of multi-party democracy.

The system thus provides a wide range of policy measures and the
voters are expected to take positions based on policy preferences that
the different parties are offering.
• Tough competition among the different parties forces them to adopt
Programmes, Objectives, and Plans to serve their respective
constituency.
• Nevertheless, the opposition parties help citizens in shaping their
political stand. This happens when they provide constructive criticism
pertaining to the decisions of the ruling party.

Choices of the Voters:

• The youthful population of any country is more likely to hold radical

and progressive views on existing social issues. The multi-party system
serves more choices to diverse social and ethnic target groups.
• The probability of considering different viewpoints is relatively higher
in a multiparty system. The Multi-party system affords citizens the
 opportunity to have as many choices as possible and also encourages
their participation in election procedures.
• This system has a wider scope of imparting political education among
the masses. One of the many obligations that political parties have is to
educate citizens about their political rights. More parties thus tend to
widen political education to the remotest parts.

Accommodating and Harmonizing Different Interests and Values:

• In the multi-party system, the legislature consists of regional parties

which are allowed to play an important role in national politics. It is also
important to note that the distinction between regional and national
parties in India is fast declining. The reason may be attributed to the
system of the coalition that the country has been experiencing since the
decline of the domination of the Indian National Congress.
• Political parties in a multi-party system work in a coalition. This
improves their ability to exhibit harmony in spite of the different
political orientations that they may have. The principle of ‘balance of
power’ is being checked by the parties that exist in the parliament other
than the ruling party.
• This system is often viewed as a system that represents better
management of political and financial resources. It also helps in creating
a strong administrative setup.

Instilling Democratic Values:

• Democracy is based on the ideals of freedom of speech and expression.

The prospects of criticizing the government for its bad governance by
the citizens are more prevalent in a multiparty system.
• In terms of the interests of each small and large group, such a system
adequately represents the interest of the majority as well as minorities
in the parliament. No single party has the authority to impose its
interest on the national level. Thus, the possibility of a dictatorial
democracy is considerably declined.
• A democracy is expected to be accountable to its citizens. This system
allows citizens to articulate their different social, economic, cultural,
and political aspirations which are considered by the different parties in
power. The existence of multiple parties in power is a means to instill
confidence among voters that decision making involves wide and
diverse opinions and interests.
The phase of one-party dominance in the case of India came to an end in the post-
emergency elections. In 1977, the Janata Party received huge public support and
people abandoned the Congress. Since then, the inter-party competition in a
multiparty system is a huge motivating force for political parties to function
democratically, responsibly, and transparently.
The multi-party system is closely associated with democracy, serving the
interests of wide groups, it is more accountable towards its citizen. The success of
a democracy is however not contingent on the number of political parties that a
country may have. On the contrary, it depends upon how impactfully these
political parties can foster political education among their citizens. While it may
come at the cost of mixed political viewpoints, it encourages inclusiveness and
promotes democratic decision-making.
The argument of whether a multiparty system provides for more democracy
may or may not be justified. This is because the true success of democracy
depends upon political accountability and transparency of the government
machinery along with other political elements. These elements may include
protection of human rights, emphasis on education, human development,
infrastructure, and so on. Compared to the other party systems, a multi-party
governing system offers more prospects for the macro-level development of a
nation.