Political Parties

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Political Parties

• American Democracy
• Chapter 5
• CA Stds 12.1.5, 12.3.1, 12.6.1, 12.6.4, 12.7.5,
  12.8.2

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I. Parties what they do

• A political party is a group that seeks control
  govt by electing candidates to public office by
  supplying them with a label (party
  identification), by which they are known to the
  electorate
• A group joined together by common principles, who
  seek to control govt, policies programs.
• Which fits out 2 major parties?

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Parties in the US and Europe

• European parties are disciplined gatekeepers,
  voters are very loyal, though this has been
  declining recently
• The fedrl system decentralizes pwr in US
• Parties are closely regulated by state and fed
  laws, which weaken them
• Candidates are now chosen through primaries, not
  by party leaders

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A. What do parties do?

• Nominate candidates
• Inform the public
• Assist in the process
• Aid in the day to day running of govt
• Act as watchdog

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B. Why the Two Party System

• History tradition (constitutional ratification)
• Party control at the local level
• Homogeneous society shared values by most
  although pluralistic society (culturally)
• Electoral systemwinner-take-all and plurality
  system limit the number of parties
• Opinions of voterstwo broad coalitions work
• State laws have made it very difficult for third
  parties to get on the ballot

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C. Other systems

• Multiparty system
• Most common democracy
• Often used w/ parliamentary systems
• Operate through coalitions
• One-party system
• Often in dictatorships
• Really a no-party system?

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D. Who belongs to parties?

• In US membership is voluntary
• Membership is broad based
• Democrats are often minorities, Catholics, Jews,
  young Muslims
• GOP are often White, Protestant, older Muslims

8
The Rise and Decline of Parties

• The founders disliked parties, viewing them as
  factions
• During the Jacksonian era political participation
  became a mass phenomenon
• From the Civil War until the 1930s most states
  were dominated by one party
• Progressives pushed measures to curtail parties
  power and influence

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Kinds of Parties

• Political machine a party organization that
  recruits members via tangible incentives
• Ideological party principle is more important
  than winning election
• Solidary groups members are motivated by
  solidarity incentives

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Kinds of Parties

• Sponsored parties created or sustained by
  another organization
• Personal following requires an appealing
  personality, an extensive network, name
  recognition, and money

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Minor Parties

• Ideological parties comprehensive, radical view
  most enduring
• One-issue parties address one concern, avoid
  others
• Economic protest parties regional, protest
  economic conditions
• Factional parties from split in a major party,
  usually over the partys presidential nominee

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Impact of Minor Parties

• Conventional wisdom holds that minor parties
  develop ideas that the major parties adopt
• Factional parties have had probably the greatest
  influence on public policy