POLITICAL PARTIES

What is a political party?

A team of people seeking to control government by winning elected office.

Three incarnations of party?

Party as Organization Office seekers Benefit seekers

Party in the Electorate Democrats, Republicans, and Independents

Party in Government Party caucuses/conferences/Divided & unified

government

WHY DO WE HAVE POLITICAL PARTIES? WHAT

PROBLEMS DO THEY SOLVE?

Problems that political parties solve

Make legislating easier

Mobilize voters/Simplify voter decision-making

Regulate politicians’ ambition

Enforce collective responsibility

Problems that political parties create

Can magnify and harden conflicts

Can oversimplify issues

Can seem to relieve citizens of hard work of self-education

Electoral rules affect party strength

Parties as legislative coalitions 1788-1812 The golden age of parties 1828-1912 Declining parties/Rise of candidates

1912-1972 Era of weak parties 1972-1994 Homogeneous but diffuse parties 1994-

2012…

Parties as legislative coalitions

Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the first Congresses

The golden age of parties 1828-1912

Spoils system No secret ballot Politics as entertainment Grass roots parties High voter turnout

Declining party strength: 1912-1972

Australian ballot, secret ballot Civil service reforms Primary elections Direct election of senators Nonpartisan local elections New Deal welfare state More candidate-centered campaigns

Era of weak parties 1972-1994

TV Campaign finance Candidate centered elections Rise in number of “independents” Split ticket voting Deep ideological divisions within parties

(Particularly the Democratic party!) Weak party discipline in Congress

Stronger parties? 1994-???

Ideological realignment & polarization Strong party discipline in Congress Highly partisan, competitive presidential

elections Increased turnout Parties act in coalitional environment

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Democrats to the LEFT

Republicans to the RIGHT