Political Parties
HOW DOES THE TWO – PARTY SYSTEM INFLUENCE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?
One Party System
Usually found in nations with authoritarian governments
Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, China
While these nations may allow other parties to participate, they have no realistic chance of winning
Why is this
Two – Party System
System in which two major parties compete for power, although minor parties may exist. Makes it extremely difficult for a minor party to gain enough votes to
win an election
Only about a dozen truly exist (United States)
Patronage – practice of granting favors to reward party loyalty
Evolution of Political Parties
Opposing political parties had organized before the end of President Washington’s second term.
The Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans disagreed over federal versus state power.
The Democratic-Republican party split into the Democrats and the Whigs.
In the 1850s, a new Republican Party opposed the spread of slavery.
Following the Civil War, the two dominant parties were
Evolution of Political Parties
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Minor or Third Parties Single issue party – party that focuses exclusively on one major social, economic, or moral issue
(usually short lived)
Liberty, Free Soil
Ideological party – party that has a particular set of ideas about how to change society overall
Socialist Labor, Communist
Splinter Party – party that splits away from a major party because of some disagreement
Bull Moose Party, Dixiecrats
What could be an obstacle that these parties face?
Single Member Districts
Minor parties
Party Identification and Ideology
People with a liberal ideology are more willing to trade economic freedom for greater equality.
People with a conservative ideology tend to believe the role of government should be limited. Most people are moderates, falling somewhere in between liberal and
conservative.
Currently, the Democratic Party is more liberal and the
Republican Party more conservative
Party Platforms
Both the Democratic and Republican Party agree on a number of foundational beliefs and values.
The Republican Party supports the rights of individuals as opposed to large government.
The Democratic Party supports governmental involvement in many areas.
The Green Party is more liberal and the Constitution Party more conservative.
The Libertarian Party supports personal responsibility and minimal government.
Party Identification
Party identification is a state of mind; voting is a behavior.
The Republican Party tends to attract white, male, educated, and religious people.
The Democratic Party tends to attract women, minorities, and young people.
The Democratic Party tends to be stronger in the Northeast and in cities.
The Republican Party tends to be stronger in the suburbs, South, mountain West, and rural areas.
Political Party Polarization
The two political parties have become more polarized and ideologically homogenous.
Both parties now tend to nominate ideological, rather than centrist, candidates.
Conservative “Tea Party” organizations helped shift Republican Party ideology to the right.
This more extreme party membership leads to increased poltical gridlock
Party Organization and Membership Each party needs strong leadership and good
organization at all levels.
At each level, the party endorses and works for the election of its candidates.
Fundraising is a key function of state and national parties.
Generally, citizens join a political party when they register to vote or vote in certain elections.
Party membership provides a way for citizens to increase their influence on government
Selecting Candidates to Represent the Party
A vital function of political parties is to nominate candidates for elected office.
To get onto the ballot, a candidate must file by fee or by petition.
Candidates are chosen by caucuses, primaries, or conventions. Caucus – private meeting of party leaders to chose candidates for office
Types of primaries – open, closed, direct
Rules for presidential primaries vary among the states and even within many states.
Primaries are a long, costly process and states with late primaries may receive less attention.
National Party Conventions
Every four years, delegates for each major party select a ticket for the November election.
Many delegates are pledged to a candidate, but others are uncommitted.
Delegates to the convention debate the various planks before adopting the party’s platform.
Delegates vote state by state, but there is rarely a mystery about who will be nominated.
The party’s presidential nominee is usually the one who selects the vice presidential candidate
