What are the basic factors that prompts people to join Political parties?

[AJITH]

Is it due to a devastating experience, hereditary predisposition, fear, genuine interest to serve society or any other things?
Mainstream Politics is divided into two , left(liberals) and right( conservatives). But what makes people to choose one among them . ( not ignoring the fact that many people are neutral , noth active in parties ,but are probably with biases)
LIBERALS believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. It is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need. Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems.

CONSERVATIVES believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.

[RAZOR]

Money and power. That's all it's about.

[Best For Business]

Vanity. Everyone wants to be in someone else's business, policing their choices, liberal AND conservative.

[Karan]

Only corruption..

[Suraj]

Because people want name and fame.Which can easily get by politics. When you get money then you will get fame,politics also give power which is also major factor to attract peoples.

[FluffyTech]

I misread your question and typed an essay. I am high and don't feel like deleting it so its a long answer about why I personally got into politics. I may be a misanthrope but I believe people get into politics to do go. The stress of the job is unjustified in return for the power and money a person receives. Some might do it for the power but those are the rare people who are williing to put up with a lot of this crap.

Below is my personal reason for getting into politics. After a good wake and bake I misread your question and gave a lengthy response:

.America is a conservative country. Conservatism is the one thing we can truly count on to make our country better. Liberalism is not the antithesis of conservatism(even though their ideals may clash). I think conservatism and liberalism both have good ideas and bad ideas.

I got into politics after the election of President Obama the first time. I can't really say that with a straight face I was more of a sheep who had the channel stuck on MSNBC than someone actually vested in politics. Personally, I wanted to be informed. My family has no interest in politics, they are under its whim but have no desire to see how it works or take an active part in it. I didn't enjoy the fact others had such an impact on the way I live my life.

I found myself growing more and more disgusted by the liberal side of things. The people at MSNBC were basically doing nothing but attacking the Republican party. They always claimed themselves to be the ones in the right yet they were doing the same as the Republicans, attack the opponent with any tidbit of info they could, going so far as to turn around and condemn the same tactics they themselves had just used a week earlier.

On my last political leg I decided to go to a local town hall meeting between a republican and democrat running for local government. I went in half expecting the Republicans to shoot me on sight but that didn't happen. In fact many things I expected didn't happen. There were no guns, no angry protesters(save a few hecklers), there was no dissent at all..just peaceful and rational discussion. I sat there amazed as my constituents asked serious questions and got serious answers, both candidates putting forth their ideas to different problems. I was amazed! At the end of the session the conservative candidate(who I was agreeing with more often than I was the liberal one) suddenly said " Berry would be proud"

I asked the old guy next to me who he meant. Berry Goldwater. Being the genius I am I searched my brain(google) and had to look the man up. What I found convinced me that conservatism is the way to go. It was a revelation that politics was more than just mud slinging but actual people trying to solve actual problems. Conservatism was not for the homophobic, xenophobic religious fundamentalists like I was trained to believe, conservatism was the very essence of American ideals: work hard, be independent and take responsibility!

Then I found myself here. Where the average 'conservative' question is "why are most mass shooters liberal" or "why do liberals want to kill babies " and I had to facepalm. Even on other forums I express my support of legalizing gay marriage and I get labeled a commie or a Marxist(which I was at one point in my descent into liberal madness). It seems unless I am attacking liberals or following the common republican consensus with absolute faith I am a libtard.

[SAIKANTA]

Well it is a good question. It differs from person to person depending upon their culture and background, purpose, character etc. Both good and bad are there; but we find more of bad people who wish to develop their own interests; For many uneducated and bad elements it is an easy way of life and looting people and the public money.

[miniaturefood484]

The main driver is people like to derive their identity from groups rather that due the hard and painful work of individuation. The group they pick is based mostly on emotional responses to the rhetoric.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_True_Believer

[Infinity]

In most cases , fools rush in, where Angels fear to tread !