CHAPTER 1

Parties and Politics in America – An Parties and Politics in America – An OverviewOverview

American political parties are characterized by a American political parties are characterized by a number of contradictions:number of contradictions:

On the one hand:On the one hand: Two-thirds of the electorate identify with either partyTwo-thirds of the electorate identify with either party Political institutions are organized entirely around Political institutions are organized entirely around

partiesparties Parties exert tremendous influence on governmental Parties exert tremendous influence on governmental

policypolicy

But on the other hand:But on the other hand: Most Americans think the two parties are not very Most Americans think the two parties are not very

differentdifferent Parties have few formal members, and are often Parties have few formal members, and are often

understaffedunderstaffed Parties are fragmented in power and disunited in policyParties are fragmented in power and disunited in policy

The Nature of PoliticsThe Nature of Politics

The essence of politics is The essence of politics is power – power – the ability of the ability of one person to get another person to behave in a one person to get another person to behave in a desired mannerdesired manner Because people have different values, and because of Because people have different values, and because of

scarcity of resources, politics inevitably involves scarcity of resources, politics inevitably involves conflictconflict In its most basic sense politics is about “who gets what, In its most basic sense politics is about “who gets what,

when, and how” (Lasswell 1936)when, and how” (Lasswell 1936)

Political conflict is resolved and managed through Political conflict is resolved and managed through bargainingbargaining and and compromisecompromise Bargaining: Bargaining: the prolonged exchange of proposals and the prolonged exchange of proposals and

counterproposalscounterproposals Compromise:Compromise: a settlement in which each side a settlement in which each side concedes some concedes some of its preferences in order to of its preferences in order to secure otherssecure others

The Nature of PartyThe Nature of Party

Scholars have suggested a variety of formal Scholars have suggested a variety of formal definitions of definitions of political partypolitical party::

Two contrasting definitions:Two contrasting definitions:

Burke (eighteenth century): Burke (eighteenth century):

““a body of men united, for promoting by their a body of men united, for promoting by their joint endeavors the national interest, upon some joint endeavors the national interest, upon some particular principle n which they are all agreed”particular principle n which they are all agreed”

Epstein (twentieth century):Epstein (twentieth century):

“ “any group, however loosely organized, seeking any group, however loosely organized, seeking to elect government officeholders under a given to elect government officeholders under a given label”label”

The Nature of PartyThe Nature of Party

Parties as tripartite social structures:Parties as tripartite social structures:

1.1. The party in the electorate:The party in the electorate:

party voters and identifiersparty voters and identifiers

2. 2. The party organization:The party organization:

party officers, committees, staff, and workersparty officers, committees, staff, and workers

3.3. The party in government:The party in government:

governmental officeholdersgovernmental officeholders

Brand names and economies of scaleBrand names and economies of scale

The Tripartite Structure of American Political The Tripartite Structure of American Political PartiesParties

Source: “The three-part political party,” p. 12, from Party Politics in America, 8 th ed., by Paul Allen Beck. Copyright © 1997 by Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Inc.

The Functions of PartiesThe Functions of Parties

Within the American political system parties Within the American political system parties perform the following functions:perform the following functions:

1.1.Serving as intermediariesServing as intermediaries-- linkage between the citizens and their linkage between the citizens and their

governmentgovernment-- aggregate scattered societal interestsaggregate scattered societal interests into policyinto policy

Figure 1.2. Political Parties as Figure 1.2. Political Parties as IntermediariesIntermediaries

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

Executive and

BureaucracyLegislature Courts

THE GOVERNMENT

Political Parties

Mass Media Interest Groups

The Public

The Functions of PartiesThe Functions of Parties

Within the American political system parties Within the American political system parties perform the following functions:perform the following functions:

1.1.Serving as intermediariesServing as intermediaries-- linkage between the citizens and their governmentlinkage between the citizens and their government-- aggregate scattered societal interestsaggregate scattered societal interests into policyinto policy

2.2.Nominating candidatesNominating candidates-- controls the voter’s range of choicecontrols the voter’s range of choice-- shift from party organization to the party in the shift from party organization to the party in the

electorateelectorate

3.3.Contesting elections and channeling the voteContesting elections and channeling the vote

-- mobilize the electorate in general electionsmobilize the electorate in general elections-- channel the electorate to either party’s candidatechannel the electorate to either party’s candidate

The Functions of PartiesThe Functions of Parties

4.4.Organizing the governmentOrganizing the government

-- provideprovide division of labor, leadership, and rulesdivision of labor, leadership, and rules-- coordinate legislative-executive cooperationcoordinate legislative-executive cooperation

5.5.Providing public accountabilityProviding public accountability

-- enable voters to hold public officials accountableenable voters to hold public officials accountable-- enable voters to sort out the complexities of enable voters to sort out the complexities of

politics politics through the party labelthrough the party label

6.6.Managing conflictManaging conflict

-- reconcile competing group demandsreconcile competing group demands-- building broadly based coalitionsbuilding broadly based coalitions

Parties as Competitors for Political Parties as Competitors for Political InfluenceInfluence

Parties must compete for political influence with Parties must compete for political influence with other political actors, includingother political actors, including

candidate organizationscandidate organizations-- raise funds independent of partiesraise funds independent of parties

campaign consultantscampaign consultants-- professional and skilled expertsprofessional and skilled experts

interest groupsinterest groups-- play an increasingly important role in funding play an increasingly important role in funding

candidatescandidates

the mass mediathe mass media-- provide momentum by creating candidate images provide momentum by creating candidate images

Parties and Interest Groups – there is a Parties and Interest Groups – there is a difference!difference!

Interest groups engage in similar activities as Interest groups engage in similar activities as political parties, but are inherently differentpolitical parties, but are inherently different Parties run candidates under their own labelsParties run candidates under their own labels

-- assume responsibility for their candidates, while interest assume responsibility for their candidates, while interest groups do notgroups do not

Parties have broad issue concernsParties have broad issue concerns-- interest groups often reflect and prioritize narrow interestsinterest groups often reflect and prioritize narrow interests

Parties prioritize controlling government Parties prioritize controlling government personnelpersonnel -- interest groups are concerned with government interest groups are concerned with government policypolicy

Parties are quasi-public organizationsParties are quasi-public organizations-- interest groups are less regulated, private associationsinterest groups are less regulated, private associations

Parties have a unique relationship to their clienteleParties have a unique relationship to their clientele-- parties are inclusive, while interest groups are exclusiveparties are inclusive, while interest groups are exclusive

The State of Parties in the 21The State of Parties in the 21stst Century Century

Some contradictory trends:Some contradictory trends:

Parties have been a stable force throughout Parties have been a stable force throughout historyhistory

Americans expect a two-party electoral Americans expect a two-party electoral contestcontest

Citizens increasingly fail to identify with Citizens increasingly fail to identify with either partyeither party