Introduction: political parties and terrorist groups

For many, two forms of political organization, political parties and terrorist groups, could not be more different. Western writers usually believe that political parties play an indispensable role in the democratic political process.1 Parties allow voters to choose their rulers. They provide citizens with the means and opportunity to take part in and influence the political process. They simplify and crystallize complex issues and abstract choices. They control governments and may be held accountable by the public for how they perform this task. These observations are true not only of individual parties operating in democratic settings but also of clusters of parties or “party systems” active in various democratic countries. If competition among business firms is healthy for a nation’s economy, competition among political parties is an important sign of democratic vitality.