Linkage InstitutionsPolitical Parties, Civil Society,

Interest Groups, Electoral Systems & Elections

Almond’s DescriptionTypes of Interest Groups• Anomic: spontaneous

groups spurred by a specific event. Often short lived, and potentially violent.

• Nonassociational Groups: rarely well organized. Differ from anomic in that it is often a cultural trait that brings them together.

• Institutional Groups: formal groups that have other social or political function. Usually highly organized and driven by specific interests. Examples: political parties and corporations.

• Associational Groups: Groups that are specifically formed to represent one group. Trade unions and manufacture associations.

Linkage Institutions• Linkage Institutions – groups that connect the

government to its citizens.

• Political Parties• Civil Society• Interest Groups• Electoral Systems & Elections

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them.

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them. 1.) One Party System • many Communist nations have one-part systems; Mexico

during the 20th century

Communist Party of China

(CPC)

Institutional Revolutionary

Party (PRI)

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them. 2.) Two Party System • rare; 15 countries world wide, including the United States

Republican & Democratic Parties in the United States

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them. 3.) Multi-Party System • most European countries; strong Parliamentary systems.

** Style of Election System is a major determinate in the type of party system that develops. Stay tuned…**

Political Parties in British Parliament

Civil Society vs. Interest Groups• Civil Society– voluntary organizations outside of

the government that help people define & advance their own interests. – May represent social class, religious, or ethnic interests.– May be apolitical– Help to check the power of the state and prevent the

tyranny of the majority – the tendency to allow majority rule to neglect the rights and liberties of minorities.

– In a global society, civil society can be nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

American Red Cross

Civil Society vs. Interest Groups• Interest Groups – organizations of like-minded

people whose goal is to influence and shape public policy.

Types of Interest Groups: Almond• How much autonomy/independence from the

government?– Pluralist– voluntary groups that have a loose organization,

and are separate from formal government function. (USA)– Democratic Corporatists Interest Groups– much more

organized with compulsory membership, the line that separates this group from government function is vague, often represent one sector of production. (Socialist nations in Europe)

– Controlled Interest Group System – Single membership for each social sector, membership is compulsory, and the groups are controlled by the government. (Communist Nations)

Types of Interest Groups• How much autonomy/independence from the

government?– Transmission Belts – system where interest groups

convey the message of the party elites. • Ex.) In China, only government-endorsed groups may exist

– Interest Group Pluralism – completely autonomous interest groups, who select their own leaders & raise their own funds.

– Corporatism – system with one group representing each interest sector, state approved and protected.• State Corporatism – state determined• Neocorporatism – interest groups dominate the state.

Political Parties vs. Interest Groups

Political Parties• Represent political points of

view of various people• Support a broad range of

policies• Influence government

through the election process

• Parties run candidates for public office

Interest Groups• Represent political points of

view of various people• Support one or a few

related policies• Support candidates, but do

not run their own

Electoral Systems & Elections• Electoral System – the rules that decide how

votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.

Electoral Systems(1) Single-Member District Plurality Voting System (SMPD)

- candidates compete for a single representative’s seat; winner is determined by who receives the most votes. • Also called First-Past-the-Post or Winner-take-all System • Ex.) United States and Britain

– Criticisms: Not necessarily ‘representative’ of the voters– Duverger’s Law – a plurality rule election system tends to favor

a two-party system. Parties (also called ‘catch-all’) develop ‘umbrellas’ to embrace a wide variety of voters.Candidate A wins w/ 25 votes

However 75 votes were cast for other candidates – no

representation

Electoral Systems(2) Multi-Member Proportional Representation Voting

System (a.k.a. Party-list Proportional Representation)o More than one legislative seat is contested in each district o Voters cast their ballots for a party rather than a candidate o The percentage of the votes a party receives determines how

many seats they gain in the legislature. • Ex.) Italy and South Africa

Electoral Systems(3) Mixed Systems –

combines plurality and proportional representations. o Ex.) Mexico – Chamber

of Deputies (Lower House)o 300 of 500 seats are

elected through winner-take-all system from single member districts

o 200 of 500 seats are selected by proportional representation

Types of Elections1.) Election of Public Officials

o Ex.) Presidential System – President is directly elected by the people to this position

o Ex.) Parliamentary System – Prime Minister becomes head of government because he is the leader of the party with the most representatives in Parliament.

Types of Elections2.) Referendum – a national ballot, called by the

government on a policy issues which allows the public to make direct decisions about the policy itself. o Ex.) The Russian Constitution was put up for a referendum vote

in 1993. o Ex.) In the U.S. we don’t have referendum votes on a national

level, however it is done at a state/local level.

Types of Elections3.) Initiative – a vote on a policy

that is initiated by the people. o Ex.) Switzerland – allowed

according to their constitution