Chapter 7 – Political Party

Political Party

• Group of political activists who organize to:
  • Win elections
  • Operate the government
  • Determine public policy
• Factions: subgroups trying to obtain power or benefits
  • No permanent organization
• Political Parties
• Run government
• Select candidates
• Multiple issues (party platform)
• Tends to blur issues
• Interest Groups
  • Influence government
  • Support candidates
  • Often a single issue
  • Tends to sharpen issues
• Functions
  • Recruit candidates
  • Organize and run elections
  • Present alternatives to electorate
  • Responsibility for operating government
  • Provide organized opposition

A History of Political Parties in the United States

• Two-party system since 1800
  • Shaped by unique historical forces
  • Emergence linked to form of government created by Constitution
• Major periods:
  • Creation of parties (1789 to 1816)
  • Personal politics, one-party rule (1816 to 1828)
  • Jacksonian to pre-Civil War (1828 to 1860)
  • Civil War and post Civil War (1860 to 1896)
  • Progressive era (1896 to 1932)
  • New Deal era (1932 to 1968)
  • Modern period (1968 to the present)
• The Formative Years: Federalists/Anti-Federalists
  • Partisan politics
  • Two parties emerge
• Era of Good Feelings
  • James Monroe administration (1817-1825)
  • Competition between Republican candidates
  • Era of personal politics
• Democrats and Whigs
  • Two-party politics returns
  • Jackson/Democratic party (1828): common man
  • Whigs (Republican faction): active federal government
• Civil War crisis and post-Civil War period
  • Divided by slavery issue
  • Northern Whigs unite with antislavery Democrats to form modern Republican Party
  • After war, Democrats dominate the South
    • “Rum, Romanism and rebellion”
    • Populism
  • Triumph of the Republicans
• Progressive Interlude (1896-1932)
  • Political reform due to economic pressures
  • Republican Party temporarily splits
  • Democratic progressive Wilson elected
    • Democratic Party changes
    • No longer party of limited government
• New Deal Era
  • Major Democratic intervention in economy
  • Democrats gain African American support
  • FDR forms broad political coalition
• Era of Divided Government
  • Social issues gain in importance
  • Civil rights/Vietnam change alliances
  • Neither party dominates
  • Era of shifting majorities
  • Red States vs. Blue States

Two Major Political Parties Today

• The parties’ core constituents
• Economic beliefs
  • Recent economic convergence?
• Cultural politics
  • Democrats: social programs and increased government intervention in economy
  • Republicans: private marketplace, limited government and self-reliance
  • Regional factors

The Three Faces of a Party

• 1.Party-in-the-electorate
  • All individuals claiming attachment
  • Do not need to formally participate

• 2.Party organization (structural framework)

• National
  • Convention delegates
  • National Committee
  • National Chairperson
• State party organization
• Local (grassroots) organization
  • Patronage and city machines
  • Local party organizations

• 3.Party-in-government

• Elected officials and appointed officials
  • Role of partisanship
  • Divided government increasing
  • Party unity limited
  • Party polarization

National Party Conventions

• Democratic Convention
• Republican Convention

Three Faces of a Party

• The state party organization
  • More than 100 state party organizations
  • State central committee and chairperson
• Local party machinery: the grassroots
  • District leaders, precinct/ward captains, party workers
  • Patronage and city machines
  • Local party organizations still powerful
    • Factions

Why Has the Two Party System Endured

• Historical foundations
• Political socialization and practical considerations
• Winner-take-all electoral system
  • Presidential voting (electoral college)
  • Proportional representation
• State and federal laws favor the two-party system
  • Ruling parties work to remain in control
  • Party organization limited for independents

The Role of Minor Parties in US Politics

• Third parties
  • Formed from scratch by those committed to issue or ideology
  • Major party split
  • Form around charismatic leader
• Often barometers of change
• Ideological third parties
  • Members regard themselves as outsiders
  • Do look for immediate electoral success
• Splinter parties/factions
  • Split from major parties
    • Bull Moose Progressive Party
    • Reform Party
• Impact of minor parties
  • Influencing the major parties
  • Affecting the outcome of an election
    • Spoiler in 2000 elections?
    • But should voters ignore third parties?

Mechanisms of Political Change

• Realignment (voters switch party allegiance)
  • Myth of dominance
  • Myth of predictability
  • Realignment still possible?
• Dealignment (decline in party loyalties)
  • Independent voters
    • Decline in straight ticket voting
  • Not-so-independent voters
• Tipping
  • Often due to immigration
• On to the future
  • Both parties striving for dominance
  • Republicans hope to gain votes on basis of cultural and economic conservatism
  • Democrats looking to attract youth, female and Latino voters
  • Impact of moderates and independents