What is it about?
This conceptual paper tends to abridge all the theories on political participation in voting system as well as contributing to the government. Political participation is a mandatory choice needs to be analyzed as it is a choice that the state had imposed on its citizens though it centres round very significant factors. Political participation is a necessary ingredient of every political system. By involving many in the matters of the state, political participation fosters stability and order by reinforcing the legitimacy of political authority. This review article defines the political participation, participants, the necessity of participation, the social, political, economic as well as psychological state of affairs that influence citizens to participate. It also highlights the apathy behind not participating and the types and causes of political participation. Thus the paper tries to present a thorough picture of the issues behind the process of political participation.
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Why is it important?
Man is by nature a political animal and the state is a political organization. According to this concept, every individual member of a state is a political being. And in the modern liberal democratic state, every citizen has certain political rights. So, he can use these rights through political activities. But what are these political activities? Woodward and Roper explained it as voting at the polls; supporting possible pressure groups by being a member of them; personally communicating directly with the legislators; participating in political activity and thus acquiring a claim on legislators and engaging in habitual dissemination of political opinions through face to face communications with other citizens. Agger and others remark that political activities constitute diverse forms of behaviour like voting, discussing public opinions, attending meeting concerned with community affairs, belonging to organizations and associations, taking an active part in some public issues or problems. Lerner defines political participation as exposition, awareness, expression of opinion, participating in voting and another decision-making process. With this thought in mind, political participation is necessary for the state to make it functional as people participate through voting, or vote for participation. And the ultimate goal is to make a peaceful state by sharing all’s opinion
Perspectives
Usually, people participate in politics through a political organization. Here, the organization serves as a vehicle for citizen participation. Once the individuals are entitled to be organized and to exercise the franchise, the door was open for him for political participation of all kinds. The most universal and perhaps the most important single type of citizen participation in government and politics is voting. Lipset says that participation in politics includes leadership in national affairs, local leadership, acting as an organization member and informal "opinion leadership" among one's associates. Political scientists use the term political participation for political awareness. Lerner defines political participation as exposition, awareness, and expression of opinion; participation in voting, and another decision-making process.
Mr. Deb Proshad Halder
National University Bangladesh
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Review on Political Participation, Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, March 2020, Sciencedomain International,
DOI: 10.9734/ajess/2020/v7i230191.
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