State the various functions political parties perform in a democracy.

The various functions political parties perform in a democracy are:

1. Parties contest elections. In most democracies, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by political parties
2. Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them. Each of us may have different opinions and views on what policies are suitable for the society.
3. Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country. Formally, laws are debated and passed in the legislature.
4. Parties form and run governments. The big policy decisions are taken by political executive that comes from the political parties. Parties recruit leaders, train them and then make them ministers to run the government in the way they want.
5. Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to the parties in power, by voicing different views and criticising government for its failures or wrong policies.
6. Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues. They have lakhs of members and activists spread all over the country
7. Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments.