Final answer:
The responsible party model facilitates voter accountability by providing distinct policy choices and encouraging parties to deliver on their agendas. However, political polarization and candidate-centered campaigns can challenge the model's effectiveness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The responsible party model is a concept in political science that emphasizes the importance of having distinct and cohesive political parties that can be held accountable by the voters. One of the key features of this model is that it makes it easier for voters to hold parties accountable for their actions, as voters can see clear policy differences between the parties and can vote accordingly based on the parties' performance. If a party does not deliver on its agenda, voters have the option to vote them out of office. This encourages parties to work efficiently and responsively to the will of the people to avoid losing power in subsequent elections.
However, the effectiveness of the responsible party model can be challenged by factors such as political polarization, where parties may become more extreme in their policies to cater to their base, potentially making legislatures more divisive. Additionally, the rise of candidate-centered campaigns and decreased party activism illustrates a weakening of party systems, which could potentially diminish the link between voters and officials. Despite these challenges, the responsible party model still strives to create a feedback loop in which voters' preferences influence the policies enacted by elected officials, thereby promoting democracy at individual and state levels.