Roots of Our Two Party System

Unit 3AP Government and Politics

“I adore political parties. They are the only place left to us where people don't talk politics.” -  Oscar Wilde

Homework: Assignment 2 for tomorrow

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and both are right.

- HL Mencken

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/OConner_Ch11_Political_Parties_Seg1_v2.html

The Last Word: Assignment 2 due tomorrow

FrontPage: What makes a political party different from other groups?

The Last Word: Assignment 2 due tomorrow

FrontPage: What makes a political party different from other groups?

Political Parties

What is a political party? Group primarily focused on nominating and

electing candidates, and controlling government

3 “arenas” in which parties operate With/among the electorate – as a label▪ Are they today, weaker or stronger?

Party activists and organizers – as an organization▪ Are they today, weaker or stronger?

In making policies - governing ▪ Are they today, weaker or stronger?

Political Parties

Reforms that have made parties weaker: Australian ballot – uniform, secret ballot

printed by gov. Patronage no longer pervasive Rise of PACs, 527 and others; parties no

longer only group that can raise $$ Info on candidates more readily available,

parties are not only source More voters identify themselves as

independents

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg3_PoliticalParties_v2.html

The Four Party Periods

The Founding Founding to 1820s Critical election = 1800

The Jacksonian Period 1820s to Civil War Critical election = 1828

The “Golden Age” Civil War to 1930s Critical election = 1860

The Modern Era (Reform) 1930s to ??? Critical election = 1932

The Founding – 1800 - 1828

The Founding What were the two

earliest parties based on?

How did the election of 1800 essentially signal the beginning of the end of this period?

How did the parties represent heterogeneous economic and regional interests?

The Jacksonian Period – 1828 - 1860

How was this a “democratization of democracy?” Voting, nominating

candidates, electors

Political party influence Decreased at the nat’l level

Increased at the state level due to expansion of the electorate

What 2 parties emerged after the election of 1828? Whigs and Democrats Gave the US the first broadly-

supported two-party system

The “Golden Age” 1860 - 1932

The Civil War and Aftermath How did slavery

affect the election of 1860?▪ Democrats, Whigs

(Constitutional Union), Republicans

What was the result of the election?

Party Stability Characterized by the dominance of party organizations Era from end of Reconstruction until reforms of the Progressive Era

Political Machines Organizations that use tangible incentives such as jobs and favors to win loyalty among

voters Provided upward social mobility

The Modern Era 1932 – ??? Changes in the Influence of Parties

Elections and social services changes Ballot printing, other elections duties handled by

government instead of parties Roosevelt’s New Deal put social services in hands of

government, not parties

Candidate-centered politics Shift to focus on candidates, their issues and character

rather than on party affiliation

These, and other reforms, have helped to weaken the overall influence of parties

The election of 1932

What triggered this “realigning election”? Who comprised the New Deal coalition?

11.1Citizen Support and Party Realignment

Party realignments Dramatic shifts in partisan preference that drastically

alter the political landscape Existing party affiliations subject to upheaval

Critical elections May polarize voters around new issues or personalities

Secular realignments More gradual shifts in party coalitions

Critical or Realigning Elections

What is a “critical” or “realigning” election? sharp changes in issues, party leaders, the regional and demographic bases

of power of the two parties, and structure or rules of the political system (such as voter eligibility or financing), resulting in a new political power structure that lasts for decades.

The 1800 Election – ▪ Begins the initial “fading” period of parties –Dem/Republicans victorious

The 1828 Election – ▪ Begins the Jacksonian period

The 1860 Election – ▪ Republican party emerges; Whigs disappear

The 1896 Election – ▪ Bryan and Democrats lose; new Republicans solidify▪ Shores up the parties in certain regions of the US

The 1932 Election – ▪ Emergence of the “New Deal Coalition”▪ Labor unions, intellectuals, farmers, seniors, white southerners, Jews, Catholics, and

minorities . The 1968 Election -

▪ Fracturing of the New Deal Democratic Coalition

What does a critical election look like?

The 2012 Election

Was it a critical, or realigning election? What had to happen?

2016?