American Political Parties

What are Political Parties?

• A political party is a group of voters, activists, candidates, and office holders who identify with a party label.

• Parties recruit and run candidates for public office under the party label.

• Parties try to organize and coordinate the activities of government officials under the party name.

The Role of Political Parties in a Democracy

• Many political scientists believe that parties are essential to democracy.

• The political party is seen by some as the main instrument of popular sovereignty and majority rule.

• Parties provide a way for the people to keep elected officials responsive and responsible through competitive elections.

Parties and Majority Rule

• Parties’ mobilizing activities contribute to democracy by educating people about politics.

• Elections create an incentive for parties to include as many voters as possible under their “umbrella”, with winning support from a majority being the goal of each party.

• Parties try to broaden their appeal by running candidates from many ethnic, racial, and religious groups.

The Two-Party System

• Most nations have either one-party systems or multiparty systems.

• Most Western democracies have multiparty systems.

• But two parties have dominated the political scene in the United States since 1836.

Why Only 2 American Parties?

• Winner-take-all electoral system:– Legislative seats are awarded only to first place

finishers in each “district”.

• Institutional rules:– Congress and State legislatures provide no

power base for minor parties.

The Evolution of American Party Democracy

• Hamilton and Jefferson, as heads of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist groups respectively, are often considered 'fathers' of the modern party system.

• By 1800, this country had a party system with two major parties that has remained relatively stable ever since.

Democrats and Republicans

• From the presidential elections of 1860 to the present, the same two major parties have contested elections in the United States:

– Democrats

– Republicans.

Republicans

• 1854 Anti-slave activists met in Ripon, WI

• 1854 “Republicans” first met in Jackson., MI. The name emphasizes a connection to the Democratic-Republican Party.

• 1856 John Fremont was first presidential candidate of a national Republican Party.

• 1860 Lincoln is the first Republican elected President as Republicans replace Whig Party as one of the 2 major national parties.

The Elephant (11/7/1884)

Democrats

• 1792 Thomas Jefferson organized opposition to Federalists

• 1798 Officially named the Democratic-Republican Party

• 1824 4-way split among D-R • 1832 Reunification of Democrats under Andrew

Jackson presidency. “Jacksonian Democrats”• 1844 Officially re-named the Democratic Party• 1848 Democratic National Committee

established.

The Tiger

The Donkey Appears (1/19/1870)

What the party symbols mean.

• To A Republican

– Elephant: dignified, strong, intelligent

– Donkey: stubborn, silly, ridiculous

• To A Democrat

– Elephant: bungling, stupid, pompous

– Donkey: humble, smart, courageous, lovable

History of Party Competition

• 1860 -1876 -- Republican Dominance• 1876 -1896 -- “Competitive” Republican• 1896 -1932 -- Republican “Dominance”• 1932 -1952 -- Democratic Dominance• 1952 -1968 -- “Competitive” Democrat• 1970 - 2000 -- Neither party dominant• 2004 - Start of Republican domination?• 2006 – Looking toward a competitive 2008?

Realignments and Critical Elections

• Each period begins with a “critical election”, a landslide by one party.– 1860, 1896, 1932, ???

• Each critical election leads to permanent “realignment” of voter preferences

• Cycle of dominance - about 40 years– 1860 to 1896– 1896 to 1932– 1932 to 1968

Modern Politics –Wither the Realignment?

• We’ve actually been waiting for the realignment to follow 1932 for about 30 years.

• We live in a “de-aligned” world. Party is not as important a cue to voting as it once was.

The Roles of American Parties

• The two party system has been used to resolve political and social conflicts.– Mobilizing Support and Gathering Power

– A Force for Stability

– Unity, Linkage, Accountability

– The Electioneering Function

– Party as a Voting and Issue Cue

– Policy Formulation and Promotion

3 Views of the “Political Party”

• Party as Organization

• Party in Government

• Party in the Electorate

The Party in Government

• The Congressional Party

• The Presidential Party

• The Parties and the Judiciary

• The Parties in State & Local Government

The Party-In-The-Electorate

• The party-in-the-electorate is the mass of potential voters who identify with specific party.

• American voters often identify with a specific party, but rarely formally belong to it.

Third Parties in America

• Historical Parties– American

Independence– Progressives– Bull Moose– Free Soil– Anti-Masons– Socialist

• Contemporary Parties– Libertarian Party– Green Party– Reform Party– American Nazi– Socialist Labor– Socialist Worker– American

Constitutional

Third Parties: Their Impact on American Politics

• Rarely win elections. Rarely last long.

• But, they bring new groups and people into politics who often stay involved.

• Two-party system discourages extreme views.

Third Parties: Electoral Impact

• Minor parties are not a threat to the two major parties today (although they may influence who wins).

• Only eight third parties have won any electoral votes in a presidential contest.

• The third parties that have had some “success” (aside from Ralph Nader in 2000) include…

Impact of 3rd Parties on Issues

• Prohibition (Prohibition Party)• Women’s Right to Vote (Prohibition & Socialist

Parties)• Immigration Restrictions (Populist Party)• Child Labor (Socialist Party)• 40 Hour Work Week (Populist & Socialist Parties)• Progressive Income Tax (Populist & Socialist

Parties)• Social Security (Socialist Party)• Crime Control (American Independence Party)

The Republicans as a 3rd Party

• Of course, despite modest electoral successes and policy impact via “adoption”, most third parties aspire to share or hold power.

• Some make it. The Republicans did not start as a major party but became the beneficiary of the 1850’s battle over slavery between Whig and Democratic Parties.

Q: How do our parties enhance democracy and government effectiveness?

Four Answers:

• The responsible party model

• The retrospective voting model

• The median voter model

• Overcoming the separation of powers

Proposals to improve the parties

• Make the party elements stronger

• Strengthen ties between elements of the parties

• More power to the party centers; more hierarchical

• Make better ties to the public; party sentiments strengthened in the public.

Critics: Reactions to Party Reform

• Parties are already too strong; increases public discontent.

• Proposals to strengthen parties are by those who want big govt.