Any true parliamentary democracy rests on two pillars: the party system and the free vote. Universal franchise. Parliamentary democracy sometimes also goes by its other name – representative democracy – to be distinguished from its counterpart – direct democracy. The will of the people. The immediate question that arises is, who are the people?

In the classical Greek experience of the city state, ‘the people’ excluded the slave. The slave was not considered to be part of ‘the people’. A slave was equal toa chattel. Free men discussed and debated issues. Directly. Women, of course, did not come into the picture.

As any schoolboy knows, that is how the core concept of Western democracy was born. It is how it has cascaded over the centuries in those countries that have chosen to come under the influence of such a system.

In the consequent flow of ideas and events, the party was eventually born. The collective will of individuals putting forward ideas and idealisms brought about together with a common purpose. As against the dictatorship of the royal will.

Subsequently, the party evolved and strengthened its role in a sound parliamentary system, giving birth to representative democracy. Out of this creation, the direct offshoot was, and is, that in order to have an effective parliamentary system, there can be no salvation for the individual alone outside the party.

The party sets its own rules. Those within freely agree to such rules. The party has it mechanisms, rules and regulations. Within the party there is, in abundance, the direct or delegated decision to vote and regularise according to the statute book.

This reflects the strength of the collective will and determination put in practice.

The people, the voters, express their support to elect the person, the individual, who presents him or herself on the party’s ticket for eventual election to Parliament.

In any true parliamentary democracy,there is no effective place and rule for any self-styled ‘independent’ individual

It is a simple yet direct and effective procedure.

The candidate is elected to occupy a seat in Parliament under the party banner.

The individual does not feature in the electoral process. All members of Parliament are elected on the party ticket and in no other way.

Even if there is an independent party, it has, and must have, its own rules and regulations.

In any true parliamentary democracy, there is no effective place and rule for any self-styled ‘independent’ individual.

The independent must, a priori, belong to a ‘party’ with its statute book, rules and regulations.

The solitary ‘independent’, denuded of these considerations, is a myth. In the party system, there is a mechanism for internal order and discipline. To toe the party line. There is a specific official called the Whip. This should also exist in the case of an ‘independent party’.

Not so in the case of just one independent person. There a conundrum is born. Who will guard the guardian?

In a parliamentary system of government, Parliament, too, has its own rules and regulations. Usually, these are embraced in the Standing Orders.

These will have evolved with the passage of time.

There is and can be no place for any loose cannon. The parliamentary system is rigidly bound by the rules and regulations of the party.

Irrespective of individual interpretation, these rules are iron clad and demand respect. Otherwise, there will only be chaos.

Richard Matrenza is an industrial relations consultant and a former diplomat.