POLITICAL PARTIES. Voluntary associa tions or organizations of citizens for the attain ment of desired ends or policies through united political action. They are found in all demo cratic States and all countries governed upon a constitutional basis, and are a necessary accom paniment of popular government. The Germanic nations, and especially those of the English branch, have always shown the greatest aptitude for political organization. The theory and gen eral practice of parties among the Latin and other peoples which have followed the English race in the adoption of popular representative government is the same. Ilace characteristics and lack of training for self-governing institu tions have, however, modified the party system in actual practice among these peoples. There is especially to be noted a tendency to split into personal factions until real issues and principles are lost sight of. The political groups in France and Spain illustrate this tendency.
Aside from local and temporary issues, there are certain natural lines of cleavage in political society which always have an influence in the composition of parties. The division between conservative and radical, with all the inter mediate shadings of belief, is as old as society, and underlies nearly all parties that are not mere personal factions. In the political
losophy of the world the nice balance between the conservative spirit that clings to that which is sanctioned by established usage, and the radical, progressive, or liberal spirit, which seeks modification of the old in the interest of progress, is most desirable. This end is somewhat im perfectly attained by the opposition of parties representing in some form the two ideals. This is the broadest and most universal idea that divides parties. In England, where the highly developed parliamentary government makes strong party organizations indispensable. they form almost a part of the government machinery itself, and have their chosen and officially recog nized leaders by whom the party policy is voiced and directed. In other countries, although their influence upon the government is as important, their connection with it has less of au official character. Below is given a summarized account of party relations in the various European coun tries and Canada. Political parties in the United States are described under their historical names, as DEMOCRATIC PARTY; PEPVBLICAN PARTY; WHIGS; PARTY; etc.