Pearson Longman PoliticalScience Interactive

Pearson LongmanPoliticalScienceInteract

iveShea, Green, and Smith

Living Democracy, Second Edition

Chapter 15:Political Parties

Shea, Green, and Smith, Living Democracy, Second Edition Copyright 2009 Pearson Longman

Chapter 15: Political Parties

What Is a Political Party?

Pragmatic Party Model

Parties are organizations that sponsor candidates

for political office under the

organization’s name in hope of

controlling the apparatus

of government.

Responsible Party Model

Parties are organizations that

run candidates to shape the outcomes

of government.



Party Functions

Organizing the Election ProcessFacilitating Voter ChoiceRecruiting CandidatesScreening CandidatesHelping CandidatesOrganizing a Complex Government

Aggregating InterestsEducating CitizensEnsuring AccountabilitySocial FunctionsPromoting Civic Performance



The Components of Political Parties

Party-in-Government

Party-in-the-

Electorate

Party Organization

The Tripartite View of Parties



Pathways of Action:The Contract With America

Architect: Newt Gingrich

The resulting Republican sweep of the 1994 midterm elections brought forth enormous changes in the American political landscape.



Party-in-the-Electorate

Party-in-the-ElectorateEvery citizen who attaches him or herself to that political party



Pathways of Change From Around the World: Canada

Young Greens of Canada Party

Rely heavily on the Web to organize, using YouTube and Facebook



Realignment Theory

A “partisan realignment” takes place when a large number of voters do not return to their party in the next election.

Until 2004, it seemed that we were undergoing a “dealignment”—a movement away from party politics altogether.

Are realignments a thing of the past?



Party-as-Organization

Party-as-Organization

The formal apparatus of the party, including party headquarters,

offices, and leaders

Layers of the Party System



Party Eras in American History: Phase I

Federalists

Hamilton believed that the future of

the nation lay in the cities and a strong

manufacturing sector. He felt that

a strong central government was the

key to future growth.

Jeffersonians

Jefferson believed that America’s hope

lay in small, agriculturally-based

communities. He distrusted a strong national government.

The Arrival of Parties in America (1790s to 1828)



Party Eras in American History: Phase II

The birth of the second party system

The Civil War disruption and the reconstruction of the party system

The Heyday of Parties (1828–1900)



Party Eras in American History: Phase III

Graft and bosses– The “Australian Ballot”

From the Progressives to the New Deal

The rise of candidate-centered politics

Party Decline (1900 to the 1970s)



Party Eras in American History: Phase IV

Parties become “service-oriented.”

In recent years, parties have regained their footing, although it has been very expensive.

Organizational Resurgence (1970s to present)



Barriers to Minor Party Success

Institutional Barriers

Single member district; first-past-the-post system

Electoral College

Ballot access laws

Attitudinal Barriers

Wasted-vote syndrome



Would-be Second Parties

Anti-Masonic Party– 8 percent of the popular vote in the 1832 election

The American Party (Know-Nothings)– 21.6 of the popular vote in 1856



True Third Parties

Two minor anti-slavery parties in the 1840s– Liberty Party– Free-Soil Party

Greenback Party (1876-1884); People’s Party (1882)

American Socialist Party (1890s); Socialist Labor Party



True Third Parties

Libertarian Party

Green Party

Reform Party



Political Parties and Ideology

“There isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties.” – George Wallace, 1968



The Nomination Process:Different Primary Systems

Closed Primary SystemOnly registered members of the party are

allowed to vote in the primary.

Open Primary SystemVoters are allowed to participate in the

primary election without declaring membership in a party.



The Nomination Process: Presidential Nominations

National Nominating Convention– First held in 1832

McGovern-Fraser Commission– Mandate for Reform– Establishment of binding primaries



Became youngest elected representative of the Democratic National Committee

His vote was sought for the Democratic National Convention

Student Profile: Jason Rae



Party Conventions

Binding primaries and caucuses have transformed the processAcceptance speech has become keyNews coverage of the conventions is much less than in previous years



Pathways Profile: Bill Clinton

Keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention in 1988His speech was highly anticipated but proved to be a disappointment.

Documents

Pearson Longman PoliticalScience Interactive