Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The party battle through history
1788-1824
Party breakdown in the House
020406080
100120140160180200
1795–1797 1803–1805 1811–1813 1819–1821
Democratic-Republicans Federalists
1788-1824
• Congress-centered, elite dominated party organizations
• Democratic Republican dominance
• Federalists– Issue: nationalization– Groups: elites
• Dem-Reps– Issue: state sovereignty– Groups: less elite
1828-1854
Party breakdown in the House
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
1825–1827 1831–1833 1837–1839 1843–1845 1849–1851
Democrats National Republicans Whigs Others
1828-1854
• Creation of mass political parties, partisan press
• Close party competition/Democratic predominance
• No major divisive issues
• Dems: western farmers, Catholics, immigrants• Whigs: manufacturers, traders, Protestants
1856-1896
Party breakdown in the House
0
50
100
150
200
250
1855–1857 1863–1865 1871–1873 1879–1881 1887–1889 1895–1897
Democrats Republicans Others
Presidential elections, popular vote
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896
Republican popular vote Democrat popular vote Other popular vote
1856-1896
• High voter participation, partisan press
• Republican dominance/close party competition
• Democrats:– Southerners, northern urban machines
• Republicans:– Westerners, veterans, business, labor, farmers
1896-1928
Party breakdown in the House
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
1897–1899 1905–1907 1913–1915 1921–1923
Democrats Republicans Others
Presidential elections, popular vote
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928
Republican popular vote Democrat popular vote Other popular vote
1896-1928
• Republican dominance
• Democrats incorporate Populists, Republicans absorb Progressives
• Republicans– Take over urban voters, midwest and northeast
• Democrats– Southerners, Catholics
1932-1968
Party breakdown in the House
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
1929–1931 1935–1937 1941–1943 1947–1949 1953–1955 1959–1961 1965–1967
Democrats Republicans Others
Presidential elections, popular vote
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968
Republican popular vote Democrat popular vote Other popular vote
1932-1968
• Democratic dominance
• Democrats: social safety net, Republicans: smaller government
• Democrats: – Urban voters, labor, southerners, northern African
Americans, Catholics, immigrants, Jews
• Republicans: – White Protestants, small town residents, farmers
1972-2008?
Presidential elections, popular vote
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008
Republican popular vote Democrat popular vote Other popular vote
Party Breakdown in the House
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
1969–1971 1977–1979 1985–1987 1993–1995 2001–2003 2009–2011
Democrats Republicans Others
1972-2008
• Republican dominance/two party competition
• Republicans: small government, social conservatism; Democrats: social safety net, social liberalism
• Republicans: southerners, westerners, rural voters, whites, men
• Democrats: urban voters, women, minorities
Prospects?
• Do the issue cleavages in American society favor one party or the other?
• Do demographic trends favor one party or the other?
• Are there any prospects for an issue or event to cause a third party to seriously contest or even replace one of the current parties?
