Structural Functionalist Theory

This essay is an attempt to discuss the problems insurance policy-making parties in Zambia ar facing by using structural-functionalist and their contri merelyions to liberal democracy. The donnish piece shall amaze by defining the key terms those being, structural-functionalist, semipolitical parties and liberal democracy. This proceeds be viewed by a comprehensive banter of political parties, focused on, with casings, the Zambian scene. Lastly, a brief conclusion based on the discussion lead be come inlined.Functionalism holds that fraternity is a complex outline whose discordant parts work unneurotic to produce stability and solidarity (Giddens 200620). It also views club in terms of their functions. Merton (1968), made an outstanding distinctions between manifest and potential functions. The manifest functions of an institution are open, stated, conscious functions. They involve intended, recognized consequences of an sentiment of the society such as the uni versitys role in classifying academic competence and excellence.By contrast, latent functions as unconscious or unintended functions and may reflect hidden purposes of an institution. Structural-functionalist acknowledges that non all parts of the society summate to its stability all the time. This function refers to an element or process in society that may actually disrupt as social system or lead to a decrease in stability (Schaefer, 2004 14). companionable life depends on unity and cooperation of a group.The functionalist points out that for society to be stable the different parts of the society must contribute to the stability of society. For instance, the teachers should teach the society to reduce illiteracy, the doctors are making sure that society is healthy, and the police maintain order. Hence society becomes stable since e rattlingone is contributing. consort to MacIver (1962), a political ships company is an association organized in support of nigh principles o r policy which constitutional means it endeavors to make the determinant of g everywherenment.Not moreover that, a political party consists of a group of citizens, more or less organized, who act as a political unit and who by the use of their voting power, aim to control the government and carry out their general policies. Similarly, a political party is different from a hale group, though in some cases the distinction between the two is nigh blurred. According to Ball (1976), It may be said that a political party is an organization of numerous sight who are openly connected to broad matters of public policy and who extremity to assume direct certificate of indebtednessfor their policies by seeking monopolize power or share it with another(prenominal) parties in a position of political power.According to Barker (1951), the panorama of a party system is so fluid that a good occur of pressure groups be concord like political parties. The cases of fragmentation and polarizat ion of political parties may also be taken note of. It is also accomplishable that some minor political organizations emerge at the time of elections and past they disappear. But the intimately essential fact remains that three, four in time more parties manage to share power.For instance, in Zambia before voting is taken place, there are many parties heard like Movement for Multiparty ripening (MMD), United Party for National Development (UPND), Patriot Front (PF) and hereditary pattern Party (HP). But at the end of elections simply few depart be purchasable to be strong holding antonyms party for example the UPND and MMD. Political parties act as a check against the tendency of monocracy and totalitarianism, ideologies also known by names such as monocracy and Bonapartism (CITE). When one party forms government or few form coalescence to hold power, other parties p demean a role of opposition.It not only keeps the government vigilant, it also prevents it from being a rbitrary and irresponsible. The leaders of the opposition put out acts of corruption, nepotism, scandals and maladministration in which great men in power are involved. According to Lasswell (1950), the political parties enable the power to hold the government in check. The immutable presence of a recognized opposition is an obstacle to despotism, with a programmed slightly within the limits of a possible public opinion, is a bulwark against the tyranny, not only of a despot but also a realistic political majority.Significant political developments make occurred in Zambia since the 2001 tripartite elections. After having had two previous elections in 1991 and 1996, the 2001 elections produced a multiparty Parliament for the first time since Zambias independence in 1964. These elections seem to signal that the plain has moved from a dominant one party political system to a emulous multi-party system According to The Post Newspaper (20/01/2013), opposition parties have drab fi nancial difficulties.And for the new member of the opposition, MMD, this is even worse. The MMD doesnt know how to operate without a lot of money. They were used to receiving a lot of money from all sorts of characters doing worry with government. And the MMD was also parasitic on government institutions for resources. As a result of this, a series of other problems have appeared. Passions about the future of their party rightly fired people up, but wrongly led them to advance and despise their colleagues. The impact of disunity upon members of the party is clear to see.They must in the very near future learn again to display the camaraderie and putting green purpose that are fundamental to a partys prospects. If they dont do so, they stand no chance of being re-elected Also, according to Okar (2005), the ruling parties deliberately employ a divide-and rule tactic to fragment and weaken the opposition parties. Wilson (1956) says, The numbers of parties that appeared with the out set to democratization is not a demonstration of increased participation, but rather of fragmentation and therefore weakness of the party systems.Zambia had more than five political parties, and the dominant party was the movement for multi party democracy (MMD), which ruled the country since 1991 to 2011. According to The Post Newspaper (20/01/2013), opposition political parties like, UPND, that was bound together by regional, cultural and language ties is also now failing to hold back its problems and challenges. The regional, tribal and cultural glue that held them together is also starting to weaken. The hopes that they had of getting into government by 2011 have disappeared. The illusions that they had about their popularity have also modify up.And they can no longer deny the fact that they are a regional political party that has serious problems and challenges becoming national. Their arrogance and puffiness can no longer carry them. The bragging of being this and that ha s be unsustainable because it is unrealistic. They can no longer claim to be the most educated, the most knowledgeable when it comes to business and economic matters, the leading entrepreneurs. Parliamentary statistics actually place that UPND has the least educated members of parliament of the three major political parties.And their leader, Hakainde Hichilema, who time-tested to project himself as a leading entrepreneur, an outstanding economist and a very rich man can no longer lay much claim to these credentials. According to Mwansa,(2012), The leadership of opposition parties suffer from too rated ambition for power and pride, such that it overcrowds their impressive participation on important national matters that affect the citizenry and poor people. They could be more effective by engaging government and the ruling party in debating policy frameworks on how to develop the country.Particularly,pushing policies that address the needs of poor people such as improving access to clean water and sanitation, fictitious character healthcare, education, rural and agricultural development, and debate macroeconomic policy frameworks required for fruit and development, critically contributing to poverty eradication, employment creation and addressing inequalities. According to Soko, (2013), the opposition parties have to find their own political shoes rather than to follow in Satas shoes if they are to earn confidence of the electorates on social and developmental programmers.The strategies the opposition want to use today, of protesting against the Chief Justice, the demand to have a medical board to examine president Satas health, the demand to have the constitution changed, among others were Satas strategies when he was in the opposition. The opposition just seem to be recycling Satas political strategies with the hope of gaining confidence and trust from the Zambians but this will not work for them as they are being viewed as imitators or else of being initiators.Opposition parties are also not given a decent chance by media. Media is always criticizing them and portraying opposition parties in a horrible way. All favor is upon the ruling party which is not divinatory to be the case. Lastly, one of the very crucial problems in Africa at consecrate is the unwillingness of the incumbent parties to be opposition parties due to their over-dependence on the benefits available to the ruling parties. Therefore, they are ill-equipped to become the opposition.In conclusion, the ruling party in Zambia should try by all means to incorporate the opposition parties in some development decisions, there also has to be inter-party dialogue over how to move beyond the dominant party situation. Because the ruling party tonus comfortable once in power and do not want to give chance to the opposition parties to rule the nation. Media should also be an self-reliant source of information and not favor any party but be like a no mans kill that is not owned by anyone, the opposition parties should be able to dust their manifestos to the public.