Political Parties

1
Chapter 5

• Political Parties

2
Section 1

• Parties and What They Do

3
What is a Party?

• A political party is a group of persons who seek
  to control government through the winning of
  elections and the holding of public office
• A more specific definition would be a group of
  persons, joined together on the basis of certain
  common principles, who seek control of government
  in order to bring about the adoption of certain
  public policies and programs

4
What is a Party?

• The two dominant parties in the U.S. are the
  Republican and Democratic parties
• Neither of the two parties are made up of persons
  who are all of one mind
• Coalition- a union of many persons of diverse
  interests who have come together to get their
  candidates elected to public office

5
What Do Parties Do?

• Political parties are essential to democratic
  government
• Develop broad policy and leadership choices and
  then the options from the parties are sent to the
  people
• Vital link between people and their government

6
The Nominating Function

• The major function of the political party is to
  nominate candidates for public office
• The nominating function is exclusively a party
  function
• One activity that most clearly sets political
  parties apart from all of the other groups
  operating in politics

7
The Informer-Stimulator Function

• Parties inform the people and stimulate their
  interests and participation in public affairs
• Parties try to inform and stimulate votes in
  several ways
• Mostly they campaign for their candidates
• Both parties try to shape stands that will
  attract as many voters as possible

8
The Seal of Approval Function

• A party grants seals of approval to its
  candidates
• In choosing its candidates, the party tries to
  see that they are men and women who are both
  qualified and of good character

9
The Governmental Function

• Government can be described as government by
  party
• Most appointments to executive offices, both
  federal and state are made with an eye to
  political considerations
• Provide a basis for the conduct of government
• Its political parties that regularly provide the
  channels through which the two branches are able
  to work together

10
The Watchdog Function

• Parties act as watchdogs over the conduct of the
  publics business
• Usually the function of the party out of power
• Plays a role as it criticizes the policies and
  behavior of the party
• Tries to convince voters that they should throw
  out the party in control and put them into power

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Section 2

• The Two Party System

12

• Minor Party- a party which is less widely
  supported in the political system
• Two Party system is what most people are familiar
  with in the U.S.

13
Reasons for the Two-Party System

• Throughout most of history, the United States has
  been a two-party nation
• Several aspects help contribute to the mainstay
  of the two-party system in the U.S.

14
The Historical Basis

• The two-party system is rooted in the beginnings
  of the nation
• Since the beginning of the first two political
  parties of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists

15
The Force of Tradition

• The fact that the nation began with a two-party
  system is a large part why the system has
  remained
• Most Americans accept the idea of the two-party
  system because there has always been one

16
The Electoral System

• Some features of the electoral system promote the
  existence of only two major parties
• One of these features is the single member
  district arrangement
• Almost all elections held in the country are
  single-member district elections- only one
  candidate is elected
• Plurality- largest number of votes cast for the
  office

17
The Electoral System

• Another reason is that American election law is
  shaped to preserve, protect and defend the
  two-party system
• In most states it is difficult for minor parties
  and independent groups to nominate their
  candidates

18
The American Ideological Consensus

• Americans over time have shared the same ideals,
  basic principles, and the same patterns of belief
• America has been divided at times
• The Civil War and years in the great depression
  and for some time of issues of racial
  discrimination and the Vietnam war
• Nation has not been divided by economic class,
  social status, religious beliefs or national
  orgins

19
Multiparty Systems

• Multiparty arrangement is a system in which
  several major and many lesser parties exist
• In a typical multiparty system parties are based
  on interest, economic class, religion,
  sectionalism, or political ideology
• Problem is that it does not support the
  single-member districts

20
One-Party Systems

• One-party system is in fact a no party system
• You have some instances in which the Democrats
  used to dominate the Southern U.S.
• Two-party competition has spread throughout the
  country in the past years

21
Membership of the Parties

• Membership in a party is voluntary
• You do see members of society align themselves
  with one another of the parties at least for some
  time
• Party allegiance comes from the parents
• Economic status may also influence the party
  choice
• Age, place of residence, level of education and
  work environment also contribute to party choice

22
Section 3

• The Two Party System in American History

23
The Nations First Parties

• Beginnings of the two-party system can be traced
  to the battle over the constitution
• The Federalist party was the first political
  party in history
• The federalists were the party of the rich and
  the well-born
• Urged for liberal interpretation of the
  Constitution

24
The Nations First Parties

• Jefferson led the opposition to the federalists
• For the common man
• Favored a limited role for the new government
• The party created by Jefferson was the
  Democratic-Republicans
• Eventually became the Democrats

25
The Nations First Parties

• The two parties first clashed in the election of
  1796 in which John Adams won
• Jefferson worked tirelessly to build up his party
  and their efforts paid off in winning the
  election of 1800
• Federalists never returned to power

26
The Eras of One-Party Domination

• The history of the American Party system can be
  divided into four major periods
• Period 1- 1800-1860
• Period 2- 1860-1932
• Period 3- 1932-1968
• Period 4- Start of the new Era

27
The Era of the Democrats, 1800-1860

• Jeffersons election marked the beginning of this
  period
• The Era of Good Feeling
• 9 of 13 Presidents either Democrats or Democratic
  Republicans
• Other Notable Democrats
• Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
• Spoils system
• Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)

28
The Era of the Republicans- 1860-1932

• The Civil War signaled the beginning of the
  second era of one party domination
• For 75 years, the republicans dominated the
  national scene
• Abraham Lincoln started the trend
• Electorate- people eligible to vote
• Other Notables
• Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
• Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
• 12 of 16 presidents during this time were
  Republican

29
The Return of the Democrats- 1932-1968

• The Great Depression brought Franklin Roosevelt
  back to power and the democrats back into power
• Other Notables
• Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
• John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
• Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
• 4 out of 5 presidents during this time were
  Democrats

30
The Start of a New Era

• Richard Nixon made a successful return to
  presidential politics in 1968
• This starts a string of Republicans who come to
  power until 1993
• Other Notables
• Ronald W. Reagan (1981-1989
• George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)

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Section 4

• The Minor Parties

32
Different Minor Parties

• Over 8 minor parties fielded candidates for the
  2000 election
• We know that none of these parties had any real
  chance of winning
• Does not mean that they are unimportant
• We will find out what the parties contribute to
  American politics

33
Minor Parties in the United States

• Minor parties are difficult to describe and
  classify
• Some limit their efforts to a particular stance,
  others to a single state
• Most of these parties have been short lived
• 4 distinct minor parties that can be identified

34
Minor Parties in the United States

• Ideological parties- based on a particular set of
  beliefs,
• Most of these minor parties have been built on
  Marxist thought
• Ex. Socialist, Socialist Labor, Socialist worker
  and Communist parties
• Others emphasize individualism and call for doing
  away with most of governments functions and
  programs
• Have not been able to win too many votes

35
Minor Parties in the United States

• Single Issue Parties- concentrate on a single
  public policy matter
• Free Soil party, Know Nothings
• Deal with issues like spreading of slavery and
  immigration

36
Minor Parties in the United States

• Economic protest parties- rooted in periods of
  economic discontent
• Do not have a clear-cut ideological base, but
  rather show disgust with the major parties
• Focus their anger on imagined enemies such as
  Wall Street bankers, railroads or foreign imports
• Mostly sectional parties
• Each of the parties have disappeared as the
  nation has climbed out of difficult economic
  periods

37
Minor Parties in the United States

• Splinter parties- parties hat have split away
  from one of the major parties
• More important minor parties in the country
• Ex. Bull Moose progressive party of 1912
• Most splinter parties have formed around some
  strong personality- most often one who has failed
  to win his major partys presidential nomination

38
The Key Role of Minor Parties

• Do have an impact on American politics and on the
  Major parties
• National conventions to pick presidential
  nominees
• A Strong third party can play a spoiler role in
  an election
• Most important role of the minor parties have
  been those of critic and innovator

39
The Key Role of Minor Parties

• Unlike major parties, Minor parties have been
  willing and able to take clear cut stands on the
  controversial issues
• Many of the important issues have been brought
  about by the minor parties
• Once brought to the forefront by minor parties,
  ideas often become adopted by the major parties

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Section 5

• The Organization of Political Parties

41
The Reality of Political Parties

• Both parties are highly decentralized
• Fragmented, disjointed and they are often beset
  by factions and internal squabbling
• Neither party has a chain of command running from
  the national, state and local levels
• State party organizations are loosely tied to the
  partys national structure

42
The Role of the Presidency

• Presidents party is usually more solidly united
  and more cohesively organized than the opposition
• President is the party leader
• Can use his popularity and his power to make
  appointments to federal office and to dispense
  other favors
• Other party has no one in a comparable position
• A number of personalities that form a group of
  leadership

43
The Impact of Federalism

• Federalism is a major reason for the
  decentralized nature of the two major political
  parties
• Main goal is to gain control of government by
  winning office
• Because the governmental system is decentralized,
  so too are the major parties that serve it

44
The Role of the Nominating Process

• Major cause of party decentralization
• First, nominations for an office are made in the
  party
• Second, the process of nominating can be and
  usually is a dividing process
• Where there is a fight over a nomination, that
  puts one member of the same party against another

45
National Party Machinery

• Four elements in the structure of both major
  parties at the national level

46
The National Convention

• The national convention is basically the parties
  voice
• Meets in the summer of every presidential
  election year to nominate the partys
  presidential and vice presidential candidates
• Also adopts party rules and the writing of its
  platform

47
The National Committee

• National Committee handles the parties affairs
  between conventions
• On paper, the national committee appears to be
  powerful
• In reality, does not have too much power
• Most of its work is on the next national
  convention in 4 years

48
The National Chairperson

• National chairperson heads up the national
  committee
• Chosen to a 4 year term by the national committee
• Decision is made following the national
  convention and made by the nominated presidential
  candidate and ratified by the committee
• Directs the work of the partys headquarters and
  its small staff in Washington
• Between years of nomination, attention is focused
  on strengthening the party, promoting party
  unity, raising money, recruiting new voters and
  preparing for the next presidential season

49
The Congressional Campaign Committees

• Campaign committees exist in both houses
• Work to reelect incumbents and save the seats of
  retiring party members
• Try to unseat incumbents in other parties
• Members of these committees are chosen by their
  colleagues and serve for two years

50
State and Local Party Machinery

• At the state and local levels, party structure is
  largely set by State law

51
The State Organization

• Party machinery at the state level is built
  around a state central committee headed by a
  state chairperson
• Together, the chairperson and the committee work
  to further the partys interests in the state
• Building an effective organization and party unity

52
Local Organization

• Generally follow the electoral map of the state
  with a party unit for each district in which
  elective offices are to be filled
• In some places, local party organizations are
  active year around

53
Three Elements of the Party

• Three basic elements
• The party organization
• The party in the electorate
• The party in government

54
The Future of Major Parties

• Political parties have been in a period of
  decline since the late 1960s
• Can be traced to several factors
• Sharp drop in number of voters willing to
  identify themselves as Rep. or Dem.
• An increase in Split-Ticket voting
• Various structural changes and reforms
• Changes in technology of campaigning for office
• Growth of single issue organizations