Chapter 17Chapter 17Political PartiesPolitical Parties

What is a Political Party?What is a Political Party? An organization of people An organization of people Share the same ideas of Share the same ideas of

governmentgovernment Members committed to party Members committed to party

goalsgoals Get candidates elected to Get candidates elected to

officeoffice Get laws passed to aid party Get laws passed to aid party

goalsgoals

Functions of Political PartiesFunctions of Political Parties• Party FunctionsParty Functions

• Candidate RecruitmentCandidate Recruitment• Organize the CompetitionOrganize the Competition• Unify the ElectorateUnify the Electorate• Inspire and Inform VotersInspire and Inform Voters• Translate Preferences into PolicyTranslate Preferences into Policy• Provide Loyal OppositionProvide Loyal Opposition• Organize GovernmentOrganize Government• Help GovernHelp Govern• Act as WatchdogsAct as Watchdogs• Nominate CandidatesNominate Candidates• Ensure Candidate QualityEnsure Candidate Quality

Party SystemsParty Systems

Most countries have political partiesMost countries have political parties Party systemsParty systems

– One partyOne party– Two partyTwo party– Multi-partyMulti-party

One Party SystemOne Party System

Party and government are Party and government are almost the same- Chinaalmost the same- China

One party’s members run for One party’s members run for officeoffice

Head of government usually Head of government usually head of partyhead of party

Party members recruit new party Party members recruit new party membersmembers

Party members given top Party members given top government jobsgovernment jobs

Major PartiesMajor Parties

Two party system or officeTwo party system or office– Other minor parties existOther minor parties exist– Major partiesMajor parties

– Democratic partyDemocratic party– Republican PartyRepublican Party

Similarities of Major Parties in U.S.Similarities of Major Parties in U.S.

All value personal rights, All value personal rights, freedomsfreedoms

Educational opportunities for Educational opportunities for allall

Economic opportunities for allEconomic opportunities for all Government duty- to protect Government duty- to protect

nationnation Preserve environmentPreserve environment Help citizensHelp citizens

U.S. Political Parties:U.S. Political Parties:CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Democratic PartyDemocratic Party– Tends to AttractTends to Attract

Working people (blue collar)Working people (blue collar)LiberalsLiberalsCatholicsCatholicsMinoritiesMinoritiesUnion MembersUnion MembersPeople in favor of govt. involvement in social People in favor of govt. involvement in social

policiespolicies

U.S. Political Parties:U.S. Political Parties:CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Republican PartyRepublican Party– Tends to attractTends to attract

Businesspeople (white collar)Businesspeople (white collar)ProtestantsProtestantsConservativesConservativesNon-minoritiesNon-minoritiesNon-union supportersNon-union supportersPeople against govt.involvement in social People against govt.involvement in social

policiespolicies

American Politics TodayAmerican Politics Today DemocratsDemocrats usually feel that the federal usually feel that the federal

government has a responsibility to help the poor government has a responsibility to help the poor through government through government interventionintervention..

Democrats are generally seen as Democrats are generally seen as liberalliberal.. RepublicansRepublicans hold the view that leaving the hold the view that leaving the

economy alone will allow for growth, giving economy alone will allow for growth, giving people greater ability to help themselves. They people greater ability to help themselves. They believe in less believe in less regulationregulation. .

Republicans are viewed as being Republicans are viewed as being conservative.conservative.

Benefits of Two Party SystemBenefits of Two Party System

StabilizingStabilizing– Keeps people near the centerKeeps people near the center– Extreme ideas not supported by Extreme ideas not supported by

populacepopulace

ContinuityContinuity– Government changes parties Government changes parties

oftenoften– Transition is usually smoothTransition is usually smooth

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Minority groups left outMinority groups left out

Ex. Civil rightsEx. Civil rights Women's movement Women's movement Needed major party support Needed major party support

Multi-Party SystemMulti-Party System

Three or more parties- Japan, Israel Three or more parties- Japan, Israel Advantage- More voter choiceAdvantage- More voter choice Disadvantage- Voters dividedDisadvantage- Voters divided

No party gets majority votesNo party gets majority votes Must form coalition governmentMust form coalition government Coalition may not work- Coalition may not work-

– 50 governments in Italy since W.W.II50 governments in Italy since W.W.II

Third PartiesThird Parties What are Third Parties?What are Third Parties?

– Parties representing minority opinions that challenge the Parties representing minority opinions that challenge the Democrats and RepublicansDemocrats and Republicans

– Some successful Third Parties:Some successful Third Parties: Populist Party – 1890’sPopulist Party – 1890’s Progressive Party – split off from Rep. Part in 1912Progressive Party – split off from Rep. Part in 1912 Libertarian Party – third most popular party in U.S. todayLibertarian Party – third most popular party in U.S. today

What is Ideology?What is Ideology?

Ideology is basically the way you Ideology is basically the way you look at how the world workslook at how the world works

There are two major ideologies in There are two major ideologies in the United Statesthe United States– LiberalLiberal– ConservativeConservative

Liberal and ConservativeLiberal and Conservative

Common Common ConservativeConservative Issues Issues–Anti-abortionAnti-abortion–Allowing prayer in schoolsAllowing prayer in schools–Cutting taxesCutting taxes–Cutting regulations on businessesCutting regulations on businesses– Immigration controlImmigration control– Increased military spendingIncreased military spending

Liberal and ConservativeLiberal and Conservative

Common Common LiberalLiberal Issues Issues–Pro-choicePro-choice–Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action–Gun controlGun control–Aid to the poorAid to the poor–Protecting the environmentProtecting the environment–Gay rightsGay rights

The Party Platform People in political parties need a simple way to explain People in political parties need a simple way to explain

their their beliefs so they can attract other people to join their so they can attract other people to join their party. Political parties take the complicated issues we party. Political parties take the complicated issues we hear about every day and create easy-to-understand hear about every day and create easy-to-understand statements that describe the party’s views about those statements that describe the party’s views about those issues. This set of statements is called the party’s issues. This set of statements is called the party’s platform because it is what the political party stands on. platform because it is what the political party stands on. Political parties keep their platforms broad and simple Political parties keep their platforms broad and simple to attract as many supporters as possible. The ultimate to attract as many supporters as possible. The ultimate goal of political parties is to get their candidates elected goal of political parties is to get their candidates elected to office. Once in office, the elected official can create to office. Once in office, the elected official can create policy that supports the party’s platform. policy that supports the party’s platform.

Minor PartiesMinor Parties• Although minor parties rarely have a chance of Although minor parties rarely have a chance of

winning the presidency, they still play a vital role in winning the presidency, they still play a vital role in American Politics. American Politics.

• There are 4 main types of minor parties:There are 4 main types of minor parties:1.1. Ideological Parties- Ideological Parties- based on a particular set of based on a particular set of

beliefsbeliefs2.2. Single Issue Parties- Single Issue Parties- focus on one issuefocus on one issue3.3. Economic Protest Parties Economic Protest Parties -rooted in changing -rooted in changing

economic problems in Americaeconomic problems in America4.4. Splinter PartiesSplinter Parties- split away from one of the two - split away from one of the two

major partiesmajor parties

Why Minor Parties Are ImportantWhy Minor Parties Are ImportantMinor parties play several important roles:Minor parties play several important roles:

““Spoiler Role”Spoiler Role” Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from major Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from major

parties’ candidates.parties’ candidates.

CriticCritic Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands and Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands and

draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.prefer to ignore.

InnovatorInnovator Minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose Minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose

solutions to problems. If proposals gain popular support, they are solutions to problems. If proposals gain popular support, they are added to platforms of the two majoradded to platforms of the two major

The Political SpectrumThe Political Spectrum People who have similar opinions on People who have similar opinions on

political issues are generally grouped political issues are generally grouped according to whether they are “left,” according to whether they are “left,” “right,” or “center” on the political “right,” or “center” on the political spectrum.spectrum.

Politicial Party OrganizationPoliticial Party Organization

Selecting CandidatesSelecting Candidates Primary ElectionsPrimary Elections

– Today major parties in all states nominate candidates Today major parties in all states nominate candidates at all levels of government through at all levels of government through direct primariesdirect primaries

– The The direct primarydirect primary is an election in which voters is an election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party in a choose candidates to represent each party in a general electiongeneral election

– Closed PrimaryClosed Primary- - election in which only declared election in which only declared members of a party are allowed to vote for that members of a party are allowed to vote for that party’s nomineesparty’s nominees

– Open PrimaryOpen Primary- - election in which voters do not need election in which voters do not need to declare their party preference in order to vote for to declare their party preference in order to vote for the party’s nomineesthe party’s nominees

Selecting Candidates Selecting Candidates (cont)(cont)

– MajorityMajority-- when one candidate wins more than when one candidate wins more than half of the voteshalf of the votes

– If no candidate receives a majority vote, the party If no candidate receives a majority vote, the party holds a holds a runoffrunoff primary between the top two vote primary between the top two vote gettersgetters

– TheThe winnerwinner then becomes the then becomes the party’s candidateparty’s candidate in the general electionin the general election

National ConventionsNational Conventions Conventions select a ticket, a candidate for Conventions select a ticket, a candidate for

president and vice president.president and vice president. The Convention also sets the party’s The Convention also sets the party’s

platform and planks.platform and planks.– Platform – statement of principles, beliefs, and Platform – statement of principles, beliefs, and

positions on vital issues.positions on vital issues.– Plank – stance on a single issue.Plank – stance on a single issue.

The National Convention Each party’s national committee chooses the Each party’s national committee chooses the

site and date of the convention and decides site and date of the convention and decides how many votes each state will havehow many votes each state will have

On the evening of the opening day, an On the evening of the opening day, an important party member gives the keynote important party member gives the keynote address, a speech intended to unite the party address, a speech intended to unite the party for the coming campaign; in the next day or for the coming campaign; in the next day or two, the delegates listen to committee reports two, the delegates listen to committee reports and speeches about them. and speeches about them.

The National Convention (cont) The highlight of the convention is the selection of the The highlight of the convention is the selection of the

party’s candidate for presidentparty’s candidate for president The vice presidential nominee usually is chosen to The vice presidential nominee usually is chosen to

balance the ticket, with a person who has a personal, balance the ticket, with a person who has a personal, political, or geographic background different from the political, or geographic background different from the presidential candidate’s. presidential candidate’s.

The convention adjourns after the presidential and vice The convention adjourns after the presidential and vice presidential candidates have delivered their presidential candidates have delivered their acceptance speeches, intended to unify the party and acceptance speeches, intended to unify the party and appeal to the national television audience. appeal to the national television audience.