What is the difference between political parties and pressure groups

They stand for securing the interest of these people who are oppressed multiple times at multiple occasions and for a long time. The party was formed in , They are followers of Marxism- Leninism, democracy, and secularism. They are against secessionism and communism. They accept Parliamentary democracy through which they promote the interest of the farmers, the poor, and the working class. They rise against the oppression of these people and have many times protested for the same.

The aim of the party is to build a strong modern India along with promoting Indian culture, values. Cultural Nationalism is a vital element in its ideology.

The party wants the whole of Jammu and Kashmir to be a part of India. Party looks forward to a ban on religious conversions and wants to maintain a uniform civil code.

The emerged as the largest party in the year with members in the Lok Sabha Elections. It was founded in and the party is a follower of Marxism and Leninism. They do not follow imperialism and communalism thus the members oppose it. They are in total support of socialism, secularism, and democracy. They have a strong presence in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tripura.

The majority of the votes they get are given by poor, agricultural labourers, farmers, factory workers. They show skeptical behavior towards the economic policies that give permission for the free flow of capital and goods into foreign countries.

They enjoyed the power in West Bengal which did not break for 34 years. The party won 1. It is one of the oldest parties which is usually known as the Congress Party. It was founded in , since the time it has many splits and mergers. It has always played a vital role in Indian politics at various national levels as well as the state level, for years. The party supports Democracy. It was the ruling party till and then came again and ruled from to It has a roller coaster journey of ruling and at times providing support to other parties.

It has a presence and support throughout the nation, irrespective of social segregation. It follows centrism and is neither a leftist nor a righteous, it has its ideology which they follow and use in elections manifestations. Party believes in working towards the welfare of the weaker section and minorities. It was formed in when the Congress Party faced a split. They believe in Gandhian Secularism, federalism, equality, and social justice. They follow the ideology that the high offices and position of the government should stick to the natural-born Indian citizens.

It has a major presence in Maharashtra and Meghalaya, Assam, and Manipur. It has a coalition with Congress in the Maharashtra state. It is a member of the United Progressive Alliance. Apart from having National parties that contest the national elections, there are numerous parties that are present in the states.

They have a restricted presence but are very popular in the states that they belong to. They are also known as regional parties. The presence of these parties makes the parliament more diverse as they represent different interests of different states. It is difficult for a single national party to secure the position in Lok sabha on its own. Political parties serve as a bridge that connects and makes it possible for people of a country to get nearest the government with their numerous problems.

They play important role of disseminating on information on government policies to the members of the public thereby bridging the communication gap between the government and the governed.

The existence of political parties provides the electorate possible options of choosing good leaders and preventing imposition of dictatorial leaders on the people of a country. For a better explanation of political parties, kindly watch the video below on the functions of political parties in the United States.

On the other hand, pressure groups are organized social interest groups formed with the main aims of pursuing their interest and influencing government policies to the benefits of their members but not attempting to take control of the government by contesting election.

It is important to note that pressure groups uses persuasion rather than coercion in achieving their aims and do not field candidates to contest elections in their names buy may give material and moral support to political parties.

Also see: Steps to perfectly enter appearance in court. Pressure groups influence and help to change some obnoxious policies of the government. This can be seen in the first republic of Nigeria when pressure groups protested after the government signed the Nigeria Anglo Defence Pact. Presure groups prevent maladministration and check dictatorial tendencies of any government. They serve as watchdogs that checks the activities of the government. Presure groups also play important role of disseminating of information on government policies to both their members and members of the public through activities thereby, bridging the communication gap between the government and the governed.

Although pressure groups do not contest elections, they help to ensure smooth running of elections by showing concern in every stage of election such as endorsing candidates, issuing campaign propaganda, raising money etc. However, they are different in the sense that pressure groups are confined to a particular domain, i. On the other side, a political party has no such limitation, and so any person can join, the party of their choice. Read out this article to get an insight of the difference between pressure group and political party.

Basis for Comparison Pressure Group Political Party Meaning Pressure Group, refers to the interest group that attempts to influence the government policy, for a definite objective. Political Party alludes to an organization of people that focuses on the acquisition and retention of power through collective efforts. Aims at Exerting influence Acquiring power Entity It is informal, conceited and unrecognized entity. It is formal, open and a recognized entity. Membership Only persons of similar set of values, beliefs and status can join pressure group.

People with similar political ideology can become members. Elections They do not contest elections, they only support political parties. They contest elections and participate in the campaign. Accountability They are not accountable to people.

That is, pressure groups tend to turn their private opinion into public opinion by arousing the sympathy of other people and groups in the society. They make their group problem look like a general one. Political party on the other hand aim at controlling the machinery of government, it follows therefore that a political party is naturally a centre of intense political activity and any individual who seriously desires to influence government and its policies may have to join a political party.

Pressure Groups are an organized groups that seek to influence government policies. Pressure groups are not political parties and they do not seek political office. However, they play important roles in the society. They act as a link between the people and the government. They are channels of communications and for the transmission of ideas from the people to the government and vice versa.

Through the pressure groups, the govemment is able to gauge public reaction to their policies. Secondly, pressure groups try to influence the government so that the government may act in line with the ideas of the group.