Strength And Weakness Of Catch-all Parties

Many political parties, as mediating institutions between the state and diverse societal elements, are converting themselves into a catch-all type, a term coined by Otto Kirchheimer to denote the party’s weak links to society, fading loyal opposition, cartelisation and professionalisation of politics thus weakening the state. As a result, the links of people to the polity with the ability to organise them, aggregate their interests and articulate their demands into the realm of public policy, parliament, polity and the state remains delicate. The multiple communication channels through their political and intellectual representatives which normally play a critical role in balancing the inputs and outputs of the political system are cramped.