A society can be considered democratic if it provides for political freedoms, including the state-guaranteed right to participate in political associations. Citizens can defend their rights and take part in the struggle for power by uniting in political movements or parties.
What is a political movement
Society is not a homogeneous mass of people. There are various social groups in it, which differ in their place in public life and in their fundamental interests. The interaction of groups of people with the current government most often leads to a clash of opposing interests. One of the goals of public activity of the masses is to protect their rights and freedoms, to express their views and influence public policy. These tendencies are carried out by political movements.
A political movement is a voluntary formation of citizens, which is massive in nature and is created on the initiative of the people themselves, who make up its foundation. The movement serves to unite people with a common goal. It can be a struggle for peace or ecology, opposing an arms race, defending one's national interests, or preserving cultural identity.
Today in many democratic countries of the world there are more than one hundred movements, some of which advocate for the protection of human rights or the preservation of the environment. Usually, political movements are distinguished by a variegated social composition and are built on spontaneous self-government. Membership in a political movement, as a rule, is not provided. The leadership is exercised by an elected body formed on a collegial basis.
The activity of political movements consists in organizing a variety of actions. It can be rallies, processions, picketing, collection of signatures in support of a particular initiative. The political character of such a movement is given by the desire to influence the decisions of the authorities.
Political parties
Political parties occupy a special place in the structure of society. The main difference between this type of organization and the movement is that parties strive to conquer political power. Typically, this goal is explicitly stated in policy documents. All activities of the party are aimed at gaining the support of the majority of the population and entering the representative bodies of power.
Parties usually have not only short-term goals, but also long-term tasks. As a rule, a political party is created not on a temporary basis, but for a long term. The party has both central and regional organizations, a clear structure and, most importantly, a fixed membership. At any time, you can say with a certain accuracy how many people are in this political organization.
A political party has its own charter and ideological program. It becomes an association of people who have similar views on most social and political problems. Usually party members belong to a homogeneous social group or social class. But in order to achieve its political goals, the party seeks to expand its influence and enlist the support of other forces, for which it can go to temporary alliances and agreements with other political associations.
