Linkage InstitutionsPolitical Parties, Civil Society,

Interest Groups, Electoral Systems & Elections

Almond’s DescriptionTypes of Interest Groups• Anomic: spontaneous

groups spurred by a specific event. Often short lived, and potentially violent.

• Nonassociational Groups: rarely well organized. Differ from anomic in that it is often a cultural trait that brings them together.

• Institutional Groups: formal groups that have other social or political function. Usually highly organized and driven by specific interests. Examples: political parties and corporations.

• Associational Groups: Groups that are specifically formed to represent one group. Trade unions and manufacture associations.

Linkage Institutions• Linkage Institutions – groups that connect the

government to its citizens.

• Political Parties• Civil Society• Interest Groups• Electoral Systems & Elections

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them.

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them. 1.) One Party System • many Communist nations have one-part systems; Mexico

during the 20th century

Communist Party of China

(CPC)

Institutional Revolutionary

Party (PRI)

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them. 2.) Two Party System • rare; 15 countries world wide, including the United States

Republican & Democratic Parties in the United States

Political Parties• Party System– the array of political parties

operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them. 3.) Multi-Party System • most European countries; strong Parliamentary systems.

** Style of Election System is a major determinate in the type of party system that develops. Stay tuned…**

Political Parties in British Parliament

Civil Society vs. Interest Groups• Civil Society– voluntary organizations outside of

the government that help people define & advance their own interests. – May represent social class, religious, or ethnic interests.– May be apolitical– Help to check the power of the state and prevent the

tyranny of the majority – the tendency to allow majority rule to neglect the rights and liberties of minorities.

– In a global society, civil society can be nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

American Red Cross

Civil Society • A society in which people are involved in social and

political interactions free of state control or regulation.– Community groups– Voluntary associations– Religious groups

• Interaction through media• Internet a dominant force

• Importance of group involvement?• Representations of interactions within societies– Interest groups – Political parties

Civil Society vs. Interest Groups

• Interest Groups – organizations of like-minded people whose goal is to influence and shape public policy.

Types of Interest Groups• How much autonomy/independence from the

government?– Transmission Belts – system where interest groups

convey the message of the party elites. • Ex.) In China, only government-endorsed groups may exist

– Interest Group Pluralism – completely autonomous interest groups, who select their own leaders & raise their own funds. (US/Britain)

– Corporatism – system with one group representing each interest sector, state approved and protected. • State Corporatism – state determined• Neocorporatism – interest groups dominate the state.

Political Parties vs. Interest Groups

Political Parties• Represent political points of

view of various people• Support a broad range of

policies• Influence government

through the election process

• Parties run candidates for public office

Interest Groups• Represent political points of

view of various people• Support one or a few

related policies• Support candidates, but do

not run their own

Electoral Systems & Elections• Electoral System – the rules that decide how

votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.

Electoral Systems(1) Single-Member District Plurality Voting System (SMPD)

- candidates compete for a single representative’s seat; winner is determined by who receives the most votes. • Also called First-Past-the-Post or Winner-take-all System • Ex.) United States and Britain

– Criticisms: Not necessarily ‘representative’ of the voters– Duverger’s Law – a plurality rule election system tends to favor

a two-party system. Parties (also called ‘catch-all’) develop ‘umbrellas’ to embrace a wide variety of voters.Candidate A wins w/ 25 votes

However 75 votes were cast for other candidates – no

representation

Electoral Systems(2) Multi-Member Proportional Representation Voting

System (a.k.a. Party-list Proportional Representation)o More than one legislative seat is contested in each district o Voters cast their ballots for a party rather than a candidate o The percentage of the votes a party receives determines how

many seats they gain in the legislature. • Ex.) Italy and South Africa

Electoral Systems(3) Mixed Systems –

combines plurality and proportional representations. o Ex.) Mexico – Chamber

of Deputies (Lower House)o 300 of 500 seats are

elected through winner-take-all system from single member districts

o 200 of 500 seats are selected by proportional representation

Types of Elections1.) Election of Public Officials

o Ex.) Presidential System – President is directly elected by the people to this position

o Ex.) Parliamentary System – Prime Minister becomes head of government because he is the leader of the party with the most representatives in Parliament.

Types of Elections2.) Referendum – a national ballot, called by the

government on a policy issues which allows the public to make direct decisions about the policy itself. o Ex.) The Russian Constitution was put up for a referendum vote

in 1993. o Ex.) In the U.S. we don’t have referendum votes on a national

level, however it is done at a state/local level.

Types of Elections3.) Initiative – a vote on a policy

that is initiated by the people. o Ex.) Switzerland – allowed

according to their constitution