What is the role of political opposition?

The role of a political opposition is to criticize the policies of those in power.
Describe a specific situation in which the role of a political opposition might be something other than to criticize the policies of those in power. Discuss what you think determines when the role of a political opposition should be to criticize the policies of those in power and when it should not.

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Last month, the Egyptian people protested in masses against the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak. They successfully ran him out of office and are currently creating a more democratic system that would make room for political parties and other marginalized groups of the past. In authoritarian governments, such as that of Mubarak, political opposition does not really exist and the people suffer as a result. While part of a political opposition's role is to criticize the policies of those in power, it also has the broader effect of keeping the political atmosphere dynamic and evolving according to the needs of the people.

Indeed, the political opposition seeks to gain office through criticizing the policies of those in power. The opposition offers an alternative to the people when the policies of the status quo is not working for them. For example, in the United States, the Tea Party wing of the Republican party gained a rather large following through their opposition of current administration policies. They are largely united and defined by what they're against, such as government regulations and taxes on the higher class. Given the downturn of the economy and accompanying high unemployment rate, the Tea Party has gained a lot of ground and support from Americans. While their extreme positions may seem odious to some on the left, they play an important role in maintaining an open dialogue about current policies and ways to improve the dire economic situation.

Political opposition is also healthy for reasons similar to why competition is beneficial for the marketplace. In general, competition allows businesses to come up with a better product that addresses the needs of the people. With a monopoly, businesses do not have the incentive to produce quality products at a reasonable price. The need to surpass the competition allows businesses to nurture creativity and savvy thinking that will result in higher profits. Political opposition also provides incentives for current leaders to please the people and be accountable for their actions. The need to stay in power by being re-elected for another term allows politicians to keep their ideas fresh and value the thoughts of their constituents.

Our system has established several mechanism for making sure politicians best serve their communities. One is the ability for different political parties to compete during elections. In reality, however, only two parties (Democrat and Republican) remain relevant to the system. The government also has established term limits, so that fresh faces can offer new ideas and perspectives every so often. The problem with a 30-year Mubarak-like rule is that politicians become complacent with time when they feel that their term is guaranteed for many years to come.


Indeed, political opposition plays the important role of questioning current policies and offering alternative ways to address society's problems. However, political opposition plays a more broad role in the grander scheme of things. That is, it keeps current politicians on their toes and more likely to address problems of society. It also allows fresh ideas to circulate in the political atmosphere and prevent the complacency often seen in countries permitting authoritarian rule.