Chapter 9Chapter 9

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

The Functions of Political PartiesThe Functions of Political Parties(Note: Parties have consistently grown weaker in each of the functions)

• Nominate CandidatesNominate Candidates• Raise and Spend campaign fundsRaise and Spend campaign funds• Register votersRegister voters• Simplify decisions for votersSimplify decisions for voters• Unify diverse interestsUnify diverse interests• Act as moderating influence on Act as moderating influence on

governmentgovernment• Reduce diffusion of power in governmentReduce diffusion of power in government• Provide patronageProvide patronage• Inform public through party platforms Inform public through party platforms

The Rise and Decline of Political PartiesThe Rise and Decline of Political Parties

OriginsOrigins

• Dangers of factions- Fed #10 Dangers of factions- Fed #10 • WashingtonWashington’’s warning -s warning -““baneful effects of baneful effects of

the spirit of party.the spirit of party.””• Nevertheless, parties necessaryNevertheless, parties necessary

– Hamilton’s financial plan and support for Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase.

• The Party, as a unifying force, was necessary to overcome the systems of separation of powers and checks and balances that divide government.

The Rise and Decline of Political The Rise and Decline of Political PartiesParties

Historical development: the Six Historical development: the Six Party Systems in American Party Systems in American

HistoryHistory

The Six Party SystemsThe Six Party Systems• 1796-1824: the 1st party system: Federalists v. 1796-1824: the 1st party system: Federalists v.

Jeffersonian Democratic-RepublicansJeffersonian Democratic-Republicans– Republicans’ success and Federalists’ demise

• 1828-1856: the 2nd party system: Jacksonian 1828-1856: the 2nd party system: Jacksonian Democrats v. WhigsDemocrats v. Whigs

– John Quincy Adams --election went to the house, where Speaker Henry Clay gives his support Adams makes Clay Secretary of State…”heir to the presidency.”

• Jackson (Old Hickory) is “wronged” Grassroots organization of the Democrats

• Whigs (party in England opposed to the king) springs up, implying that Jackson is acting the part of a monarch

The Six Party SystemsThe Six Party Systems

• 1860-1892: the 3rd party system: Republican 1860-1892: the 3rd party system: Republican dominance as the party against slavery and dominance as the party against slavery and party that kept the union togetherparty that kept the union together

– Jacksonian system unable to survive slavery and sectionalism

– New Republicans became dominant because of:• Civil War Republicans rely on Union pride• Bryan’s alienation of Northern Democrats in 1896

The Six Party SystemsThe Six Party Systems

• 1896-1928: 4th party system: second period of Republican 1896-1928: 4th party system: second period of Republican dominance with its coalition of big business and the dominance with its coalition of big business and the working classes against the Democratic rural interestsworking classes against the Democratic rural interests

– Era of reform- Progressives push measures to weaken parties– Primary elections– Nonpartisan elections at city and sometimes state level– Strict voter registration requirements– Civil service reform– Initiatives and referendum– Effects: Reduction in worst forms of political corruption,

weakening of all political parties and “reduction” of voter turnout

The Six Party SystemsThe Six Party Systems

• 1932-1964: the 5th party system:– Democratic dominance begun under FDR

and the New Deal– FDR’s grand coalition (New Deal coalition)

included urban dwellers, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners, Blacks, farmers

The Six Party SystemsThe Six Party Systems

• 1968-present: the 6th party system: Era of 1968-present: the 6th party system: Era of Divided Government.Divided Government.

– Much split-ticket voting– Presidents of one party (typically

Republican) with Congresses of the opposite party (typically Democratic).

– An era of party dealignment, as voters are moving away from both parties and are increasingly independent

Realigning (critical) elections-Realigning (critical) elections-

• Long term change in alignment:Long term change in alignment:– Definition: periods when a major, lasting

shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties.

– Examples: 1800, 1828, 1860, 1896, 1932, and some believe 1980but we have to think about why Reagan was elected

Parties solidify who they representParties solidify who they represent

• RepresentationRepresentation– Republicans represent traditional middle class-more

conservative– Democrats represent new class-more liberal– Democrats hurt since traditional middle class closer in

opinions to most citizens• To become more competitive, Democrats adopt To become more competitive, Democrats adopt

rule changesrule changes– In 1988, number of superdelegates increased while

special interest caucuses decreased – 1992 rules:

• Proportional representation implemented• States that violate rules penalized

• Conventions today only ratify choices made in Conventions today only ratify choices made in primariesprimaries

State and Local LevelsState and Local Levels

• Power distribution: Must look at incentives Power distribution: Must look at incentives to understand the organization of to understand the organization of state/local partiesstate/local parties

– The Machine Money, Money…Money!• The Spoils System: • patronage jobs “temporary” jobs awarded to loyal

party members. – Loyalty shown on election day when individual would produce

10 votes for the candidate. – in the case of Richard Daley’s Chicago party machine, these

individuals would be expected to donate 5% of their income

• Kickbacks etc• Party welfare system

– response to the spoils system?

Two-Party SystemTwo-Party System

– Why such a permanent feature?• Electoral systemwinner-take-all and

plurality system• Opinions of voters—two broad

coalitions work, although times of bitter dissent

• State laws have made it very difficult for third parties to get on the ballot (e.g. Washington’s top two primary)

Plurality System: the winner is that person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not get a majority of all votes cast

Reasons for third party campaignsReasons for third party campaigns

• Raise issues rather than win elections Raise issues rather than win elections

• Influence the outcome of presidential Influence the outcome of presidential elections (1992!!, 2000!!!)elections (1992!!, 2000!!!)

Parties versus votersParties versus voters• Democrats: have won more congressional Democrats: have won more congressional

elections than presidential contestselections than presidential contests– Candidates are out of step with average voters

on social and taxation issues– So are delegates.., and there's a connection

• Rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans Rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans differ on many political issuesdiffer on many political issues

– But differences are usually small• Delegates from two parties differ widely Delegates from two parties differ widely

on these same issueson these same issues– Delegates (and candidates) need to correspond

with views of average citizens– But candidates must often play to the

ideological extremes to win delegate support.