If direct action becomes the only way to make change, democracy itself will be undermined, writes Mari Williams

Guardian Unlimited

So who really makes changes? Is it the Westminster thinktanks? Political party activists? Campaign organisations? The media? Or perhaps even Guardian letter writers? Should individuals work alone or collectively?

Surely the logical conclusion of collective campaigning is the political party. Real change has to be as a result of grassroots pressure, and the most effective way to do this is through political parties. If there were no political parties people would invent them. Many people begin their involvement in politics through single issue organisations, but no issue is unrelated to others - for instance, homelessness cannot be solved without addressing the issues around social exclusion. Political parties have to be based on values, principles, inclusion and compromise.

Pressure groups play an important part in our democracy. However, this should not mean that some voices deserve to be heard louder than others, based on the size of their bank balance or their lobbying budget. At the Fabian Conference this weekend, titled Politics: Dead or Alive, hundreds of people will debate how our political system works and how it could work effectively to engage the public, particularly young people.

We have a responsibility to build confidence in our political system and our democracy. Citizenship education is just a start. If pressure groups and direct action become the only way to make change, then not only will political consensuses collapse but democracy itself will be undermined. It is only through political parties that the weakest and most vulnerable voices in society can be heard.