Political PartiesChapter 8

Democratic Participation Basics Over time, as the value of leisure time increases (or as

leisure time gets scarce), participation decreases

Across society, as leisure time increases (and the value of leisure declines), participation increases E.g., the elderly and/or retired

Across society, as wealth increases, participation increases E.g., the poor participate less

What is a Political Party? Political Party – a group of political activists who organize to win

elections, operate the government, and determine public policy Similar to interest groups, but interests groups do not want to

operate the government Faction – a group or bloc in a legislature or political party that is

trying to obtain power or benefits Factions generally precede the formation of political parties in

American history Might represent certain ideological or regional viewpoints

Independents – a voter or candidate who does not identify with an established political party

Political Party Activities Recruiting candidates for public office

Organizing and running elections

Presenting alternative policies for the electorate

Accepting responsibility for operating the government

Acting as the organized opposition to the party in power

What are Parties?Labels, Banners, and IDs Recall role of informational shortcuts in making decisions Labels: Parties serve as simple indicators of ideology,

alliances, and preferences Indicate likely voting behavior once in office

Banners: Parties serve this role even though they do so noisily and sometimes with considerable error

IDs: Parties serve in this sense, despite the fact that that party identification has been on the decline over the past century

Parties as Organizations Connect voters to government

Democratic politicians answer to Democratic voters Republican politicians answer to Republican voters

Discipline elected officials to keep campaign promises and to keep in line with the will of voters

Cohere officials to one another E.g., party discipline in Congress

Cohere citizens to one another E.g., Tammany district leader in New York

Party Machine: a party organization with a high degree of control over member activity and recruits its members with tangible incentives

Parties as Coalitions Parties are coalitions because no group can dominate in

politics without support from other groups to form a viable campaign organization

Forms of support Core – regular party supporters; will always support the party, but

may not turn out Variable – “Middle of the roaders”; may/may not turn out and

may/may not support Party alignment

Parties are rarely reduced to single issues Party leaders must pay attention to “core” and “variable” support to

effectively campaign

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. Democratic Party

One of the two major American political parties evolving out of the Republican Party of Thomas Jefferson

Favored personal liberty and opportunity for the “common man” in the 19th century

Republican Party One of the two major American political parties Emerged in the 1850s as an antislavery party Consisted of former Northern Whigs and antislavery (Northern)

Democrats

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. Whig Party

A major party in the United States during the first half of the 19th century; established in 1836

Was very anti-Andrew Jackson and represented regional interests primarily

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. Third Party

A political party other than the two major political parties (Democratic and Republican)

Splinter Party A new party formed by a dissident faction within a major political

party Typically, they emerge when a particular personality is at odds

with the major party

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. Creation of Parties (1789-1816)

Federalists and Anti-Federalists (Democratic Republicans) Presidential Electoral College electors chosen by state legislatures

Era of Good Feelings [one party rule] (1816-1828) Federalists disappear; Dem. Republicans remain Factions develop with the election of J.Q. Adams (1824)

National Two Party Rule “Jacksonian Period” (1828-1845) Dem. Republicans and Whigs Spoils system – when a political party gives government jobs to its constituents as an

reward and incentive for party loyalty Andrew Jackson’s administration in particular

Presidential Electoral College electors chosen by the people Nominating system - Caucus

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. Antebellum “Splinter” Period (1840-1856)

Whigs and Democrats are the primary “two parties Rise of splinter parties: Liberty Party (1840), Free Soil (1845), Know-Nothing

(1845), American Party (1852), and Northern/Southern Dems. (1856) Slavery, states’ rights, anti-immigration, and xenophobia contribute to these

groups

Civil War Period (1856-1865) Whigs, Northern Dems., “Know-Nothings,” and Free Soilers create the

Republican Party in 1854; becomes a stable party in 1856 Southern Dems. become Confederates with the CSA in 1861 Technically, Republicans and Northern Dems. are the primary U.S. parties

during the war

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. Reconstruction Era (1865-1876)

Republicans and Northern/Southern Dems. are the primary parties Southern Democrats slowly regaining power in the South

Reps. split between Conservative/Radical factions due to Reconstruction A “Liberal Reps.” faction (1872) emerges calling for an end to Reconstruction

Gilded Age (1876 – 1896) Sectionalist politics and tariff reform are key North vs. South alignment prominent; North = Republican; South = (Southern Dems.) Reps. = party of business and prosperity; Southern “Yellow Dog” Dems. = institutionalized party in

the South Third parties: Greenback and Populist form over economic issues

Progressive Period (1896-1932) Gilded Age third parties assimilate into the Democratic party Democrats, Republicans, and Progressives (middle ground for both parties) Direct Democracy (direct election of senators via 17th Amendment) Referenda, recall, and reform Prog. Era third parties: Socialist and Prohibition

A History of Political Parties in the U.S. New Deal Period (1932-1968)

Democrats become the dominant party (North and South coalition) Party benefits emanated from the federal government, not the party

(F.D.R. was very much in control) Third parties: Union (Depression Era) and States’ Rights Dems.

“Dixiecrats” (aligned against Truman in 1948)

Modern Period (1968-present) Democrats and Republicans are the two primary parties Libertarian movement begins in the 1970s Other third parties: American Independent (1968), Reform (1992), and

Green (1996)

Faces of a Political Party (Overall)1. Party-in-the-electorate

All the individuals who claim an attachment to a political party Those that also express a preference for one party over another

2. Party Organization The formal structure and leadership of a political party

Includes: election committees; local, state, and national executives; and paid professional staff

3. Party-in-Government All of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a

political party

Faces of a Political Party (National Level) National Convention

The meeting held every four years by each major party to select presidential and vice presidential candidates

Write a platform Choose a national committee Conduct party business

Party Platform A document drawn up at each national convention Outlines policies, positions, and principles of the party

National Committee Standing committee of a national political party Established to direct and coordinate party activities between party

conventions

Winner-Take-All Electoral System Plurality

A number of votes cast for a candidate that is greater than the number of votes for any other candidate, but not necessarily a majority (more than 50%)

At almost every level of government in the U.S., the outcome of elections is based on the plurality

Electoral College A group of persons, called electors, who are selected by the voters in each

state This group officially elects the president and vice president of the United

States In all but two states (Maine and Nebraska), if a presidential candidate wins a

plurality in the state, then all of the state’s electoral votes go to the candidate

Mechanisms of Political Change Realignment

A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance, producing long-term change in the political landscape Ex. Texas’ shift from Dems. to Reps. (1950s)

Dealignment A decline in party loyalties that reduces long-term party

commitment Absence of strong partisan attachments make it easy for parties

to decline and/or split Ex. Increasing independent voters today

Mechanisms of Political Change Straight-Ticket Voting

Voting exclusively for the candidates of one party Split-Ticket Voting

Voting for candidates of two or more parties for different offices Ex. Voting for a Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic

congressional candidate

Swing Voters Voters who frequently swing their support from one party to

another

Why Two Parties? History

Two-party division began with the Feds./Anti-Feds. Big fed. gov’t vs. states’ rights

Economic and Geographical Divisions Sectionalism between the North and South apparent from the

founding of the U.S. The two parties have gravitated toward either side

Lack of ethnic, racial, or religious parties However, splinter parties sometimes represent these topics

Why Two Parties? Institutionalism

Plurality rule vs. proportional representation Single member districts Sincere vs. strategic voting

Sincere voting – voting for a candidate for their position on the issues Strategic voting typically used to eliminate third parties

“We can’t win without YOUR support”; “You see our point. Come to our side of the aisle.”

(1896) – Populists urged to support William Jennings Bryan, a Dem. candidate for president

(1912) – Dems. urged Progressives to vote for Woodrow Wilson (2000) – Gore pushed Green party supporters to vote for him (2004) – Kerry pushed Green party supporters to vote for him

Decline of Parties More multifaceted society

Fewer 2-sided issues to divide everyone equally into one group or another

Declining willingness to be associated with a party Not everyone wants to be seen as “part of the group” Individualism is key

Decline of political machines Urban and rural political networks (helped lead to the founding of

parties like the Greenbacks, Populists, and Progressives)

Decline of Parties Technology and Politics

Professionalization of Politics Anyone can go to school to be a politician now Some argue that this has led to an “overexposure” of politics

News Media

Social Media

Dominance of individualistic campaigns Party primaries consistently using strategies to show “how I am different”

from the rest of my party (Individualism again)