POLITICAL PARTIES

l   Are linkage institutions which translate inputs from the public into outputs from the policy makers

l   They sift through all the issues, identify the most pressing ones, and put those onto governmental agenda

l   Political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution- but are now part of the political landscape

POLITICAL PARTY

l   Defined as: A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office by supplying them with party label (Party Identification)

l   Candidates become known to the public by such label

l   CORE FUNCTION: TO GAIN POWER BY WINNING ELECTIONS.

l   THIS IS WHY THEY EXIST!

Functions of Political Parties

l   Recruiting candidates – to win national offices, candidates need major party endorsement

l   Organizing and running elections – they coordinate elections through their local state and national organizations

l   Presenting alternative policies – parties give cues to voters regarding where candidates stand on major issues

l   Operating government – they take responsibility for the operation of government at all levels

 

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l   Provide organized opposition – they give alternative policies and challenge policies of party in power

l   Articulate policies – within the electorate and within the government

l   They coordinate policy-making – a necessary function in a fragmented political system

HISTORY OF POLITICAL PARTIES

l   Early political parties were formed/started around the 1790s

l   The founding fathers disliked political parties – they said that parties tended to promote factions motivated by ambition and self-interest

l   1^st Party System (1796-1824) – Era of Republicans and Federalists

FIRST POLITICAL PARTY

l    The first political party in American history  was made up of the followers of Thomas Jefferson

l    Called themselves Republicans or Jeffersonian Republicans – represented the working class and agrarian interests

l    Democratic Party today consider Thomas Jefferson to be its founder

l    Followers of Alexander Hamilton were known as Federalists – represented emerging capitalist interests

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l   2^nd Party System (1824-1856): The Era of Democrats and Whigs

l   Started with election of Andrew Jackson and lasted until civil war became inevitable.

l   During this period, political participation became a mass phenomenon

l   Presidential politics became national

l   Democratic Party was committed to broaden political opportunity, eliminate many vestiges of elitism, and mobilize the masses

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l   The Whigs were in opposition

l   The national party convention was was invented during this era

l   The first convention was held by Anti-Masonic party in 1831

l   The major political party to hold a national convention was the Whigs – 1831 – nominated Henry Clay/Daniel Webster for president.

l   Democrats held their first convention in 1832 – re-nominated Andrew Jackson

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l    3^rd Party System (1860-1930) – The Era of Republicans and Democrats

l    The modern Republican party emerged in 1850s

l    It began as a third party and became the first minor or third party in American history to become a major party

l    It was catapulted to majority party status by the civil war

l    It dominated national politics for 75 years – until stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing great depression

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l   Great depression brought Republican rule to an end after 75 years

l   President Herbert Hoover nailed the coffin by announcing that the federal government could do nothing to counteract the effects of depression

l   Why did the Republican party control the white house and the congress for 75 years?

 

Two Reasons:

l   The civil War: those who supported the union side became, for generations, Republicans; those who supported the confederacy or opposed the war were Democrats

l   The Candidacy of William Jennings Bryan – split the U.S. on North/South basis. From 1896 to 1930s, with few exceptions, northern states were Republicans and southern states were Democrats

THE NEW DEAL ERA

l   4^th Party System (1932-1968) – The New Deal Era

l   President Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the New Deal Coalition:

l   Consisted of : urban dwellers, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, low income groups, African Americans, and intellectuals

l   The New Deal Coalition made Democratic Party the clear majority for decades

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l    FDR created the concept of 100 days – within 100 days of his election, he prodded Congress into enacting scores of anti-depression measures

l    His success was translated into winning four consecutive presidential terms

l    Also since winning the Congress under FDR leadership in 1930s, Democrats consistently maintained control of the House for 40 years until 1994.

l    From 1930 to 2000, Democrats have controlled the White House for 40 years to Republican’s 30 years

THE ERA OF DIVIDED GOVERNMENT

l    5^th Party System (1968-Present)

l    During this period, no single party has dominated all branches of government.

l    It is an era of divided government where one party controls one branch while the other party controls the other

l    Since 1968 to 1994, Republicans have won the White House 5 out of 7 presidential elections, while Democrats won control of Congress 7 out 7 times (with the exception of 1981-1986 when briefly republicans controlled the Senate narrowly)

The Three Faces of a Party

 Political parties in the United States are comprised of  three components:

 The party in the electorate is comprised of the people who identify with the party or who regularly vote for the candidates of the party in general elections.  Without the party in the electorate it would not be possible for the party to have electoral success.       

l    Party organization is the second subunit of the political party.  The function of party organization is to provide leadership and structure for the party that is not a part of the government.      

Continue Faces of Party

l   The last subunit is the party in the government.

l   This includes all elected and appointed officials who gained office on the label of the party. 

l   Once in office the leaders work to organize the efforts of the party in order to win elections

   Party Organization

  l   In theory American political parties are structured like a pyramid, with the national party organization at the top and the local party organization serving as the base.

l   This theoretical structure is not realistic. 

 

Party Organization

l   The national party organization receives the most publicity during the national convention.  Members of the party who have been selected to attend the convention, meet to nominate the presidential candidate, approve the party platform, and approve the presidential candidate's selection of a vice-presidential candidate.

l    This convention is held once every four years. 

  Party Organization

l   Each state also has a party organization.  There is a state chairperson who is responsible for making the party competitive in elections at the state level.

l   Like the national party, each state holds a state convention, which endorses candidates of the party.  Furthermore, a state party platform is drafted which focuses on issues at the state level of government.         

 

Party Organization

l   The local party organization is very different in different regions of the country. In some areas there is little evidence that the party has any local organization.

l   In other areas there is a very strong local organization which controls the local governmental process. The national party has little control over the local organization. 

 

The Party and Its Members

l   Unlike European parties, many of which are divided along class and religious lines, parties in the United States are very broad based coalitions.

l   Because of the structure of the two-party system, both major parties must appeal to a wide range of citizens.

l   Still certain groups are more likely to affiliate with one party.       

 

The Democratic party

l   The Democratic party has had support from the following groups:           

l   1.  ethnic minorities           

l   2.  members of labor unions           

l   3.  Jewish voters         

l   4.  the working class          

l   5.  women       

 

The Republican party

l   The Republican party has had support from the following groups:          

l   1. college graduates           

l   2. higher income families           

l   3. professionals           

l   4. business people and Large Corporations

 

Why Do We Have a Two Party System?

l   In 2000 the United States Constitution was over 210 years old.

l    During this time, there have been 107 Congresses elected and 52 presidential elections.

l   During only 28 years under the Constitution has the U.S. not had a two-party system.  Since 1856, or for the last 142 years, the U.S. has had nothing but a two-party system. 

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

l   Historical foundation of the two-party system: on most major issues confronting the country there have usually been two competing groups.

 

l   This duality helped to initiate a two-party system and has maintained this system through the present       

 

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

l   Self-perpetuation of the two-party system: this has occurred in part because of the political socialization process.  For generation after generation, all that has existed is a two party system.

l   If individuals are not exposed to anything but a two-party system, they will not likely seek change to a different system.

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

l   Political culture of the United States: this has been influenced by the concept of individualism, as opposed to collective initiative.

l   Unlike many European counties which foster the collective effort and there are numerous parties, the United States political culture has served to maintain a two-party system

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

l   Winner-take-all electoral system: this system allows the election of a candidate who has received the most votes.

l   The political party whose candidates finish behind the winning candidate receive nothing.

l    If a party is able to gain 19 percent of the vote nationwide, but in no single district did a candidate receive plurality of the vote, the party is not successful in getting a candidate elected. 

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

l   Many countries use proportional representation in elections.  Such a system allows a party to receive the number of elected officials equal to the percentage of the vote the party received.

l   If a party receives 19 percent of the vote, it would then receive 19 percent of the seats in the legislature.

l   As long as the U.S. continues to use a winner-take-all electoral system, it is highly unlikely that a minor party will be successful.

 

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

l   State and federal laws favoring the two parties: this occurs because the two major parties are in control of the policy-making process.

l   As long as the Democrats and Republicans are in power at the state and national levels they will continue to pass laws which favor the two-party system and will pass laws making it difficult for new parties to develop. 

 

The Role of Minor Parties

l   The 1992 presidential election serves as an excellent example of the impact a candidate who is not affiliated with one of the two major parties can have on the electoral process.

 

l   Ross Perot ran as an independent candidate and received 19 percent of the total popular vote

The Role of Minor Parties

l    Only two candidates, not affiliated with a major party, have received a higher percentage of the popular vote in this century (T. Roosevelt 1912 and LaFollette 1924).

l     However, Mr. Perot like Mr. Roosevelt, and Mr. LaFollette did not win the election- In Mr. Perot's case he did not receive any electoral votes.

l     Nonetheless, many would contend that he impacted the election by taking votes from either Mr. Bush or Mr. Clinton.

Minor Parties

•      Historically there has been important minor parties in the United States.  The following represent some of the more important minor parties:

l   1.  Socialist Labor Party (began 1877)            

l   2.  Socialist Party (began in 1901)            

l   3.  Communist Party (split from the Socialist Party in 1919)           

l   4.  Socialist Worker's Party (began in 1938)            

l   5.  Libertarian Party (began in 1972)            

l   6.  Reform Party (began in 1996)        

 

The Role of Minor Parties

l    Not all minor parties have been based on a different ideology from the major parties.

l     A few minor parties are formed when members of one of the two major parties are dissatisfied with the leader of the major party, or the members are dissatisfied with the platform of the major party.

l     They are usually referred to as spin-off parties.  For example, the Bull-Moose Progressives were a spin-off of the Republican Party.  The Bull Moose Pro those reform-minded Republicans who supported the candidacy of Theodore Roosevelt over that of William Howard Taft.

The Role of Minor Parties

l   Since 1860, no presidential candidate has been elected from a minor party.  Very few members of Congress have been elected on the label of a minor party.

l    But minor parties have had an impact in that they raise issues that the two major parties must address. These parties also provide voters with another option.