CHAPTER 7POLITICAL PARTIES

This chapter provides a fairly detailed exploration of political parties, with emphasis on the two party system that has evolved in the United States.

Role of A Political PartyRole of A Political Party

A party is a group that seeks to A party is a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office elect candidates to public office by supplying them with a label. by supplying them with a label.

Arenas Arenas – A label in the minds of the voters A label in the minds of the voters – Set of leaders in government Set of leaders in government – Organization for recruiting and Organization for recruiting and

campaigningcampaigning

Reasons for differences from Reasons for differences from European partiesEuropean parties

Federal system decentralizes power Federal system decentralizes power – Early on, most people with political jobs Early on, most people with political jobs

worked for state and local government. worked for state and local government. – National parties were coalitions of local National parties were coalitions of local

parties. parties. – As political power becomes more As political power becomes more

centralized, parties become weaker stillcentralized, parties become weaker stillParties closely regulated by state and Parties closely regulated by state and federal laws federal laws Candidates chosen through primaries, not Candidates chosen through primaries, not by party leaders by party leaders President elected separately from President elected separately from Congress Congress

Decline in Party Identification, Decline in Party Identification, 1952-2000 1952-2000

.

Cleavages and Cleavages and Continuity in Continuity in the Two Party the Two Party SystemSystem

1. Founding2. Andrew Jackson - 18243. Whigs4. Progressives and the Era of Reform

A. Primary ElectionsB. Non Partisan Elections at the

local levelC. Strict Voter Registration RulesD. Civil Service ReformE. Initiative, Referendum and Recall

Occurrences: change in issuesOccurrences: change in issues

1800: Jeffersonians defeated 1800: Jeffersonians defeated Federalists Federalists 1828: Jacksonian Democrats came to 1828: Jacksonian Democrats came to power power 1860: Whigs collapsed; Republicans 1860: Whigs collapsed; Republicans won won 1896: Republicans defeated Bryan 1896: Republicans defeated Bryan 1932: FDR Democrats came to 1932: FDR Democrats came to powerpower

1972-1988: shift in presidential 1972-1988: shift in presidential voting patterns in the Southvoting patterns in the South

Fewer Democrats, more Republicans, Fewer Democrats, more Republicans, more independents more independents

Independents vote Republican Independents vote Republican

Now close to fifty-fifty Democratic, Now close to fifty-fifty Democratic, Republican Republican

Party dealignment, not realignmentParty dealignment, not realignment

Party Structure Today

1. Nation convention ultimate power, nominates presidential candidate.2. National committee composed of delegates from state manages affairs between conventions.3. Congressional campaign committees.4. National chair manages daily work.

The Democrats have evolved into a factional party emphasizing the mobilization and conciliation of party activists. (Pluralism). The Republican party has become a bureaucratic party devoted to winning elections by focusing on raising money and providing consulting services to its candidates.

Some of the above changed in 1992 and 1994, the Democrats became adopting direct mail and sophisticated focus groups and polling to insure more electable candidates. Republican have become more isolated on the ideological extreme be dominated by the Christian Coalition. Is it better to win or be ideologically pure?

Consequence of reformsConsequence of reforms

Parties represent different set of Parties represent different set of upper-middle-class voters upper-middle-class voters – Republicans represent traditional Republicans represent traditional

middle class middle class – Democrats represent the "new Democrats represent the "new

class" class" – Democrats hurt because the Democrats hurt because the

traditional middle class closer in traditional middle class closer in opinions to most citizensopinions to most citizens

State and Local Party Organizations

1. The Machine2. Ideological Party3. Solidary Groups4. Sponsored Parties5. Personal followings

The machineThe machine

Recruitment via tangible incentives Recruitment via tangible incentives

High degree of leadership control High degree of leadership control

Abuses Abuses – Gradually controlled by reforms Gradually controlled by reforms – But machines continuedBut machines continued

Both self-serving and public Both self-serving and public regarding regarding

Winning above all elseWinning above all else

Ideological parties Ideological parties

Principle above all else Principle above all else

Usually outside Democrats and Usually outside Democrats and Republicans Republicans

But some local reform clubs But some local reform clubs

Reform clubs replaced by social Reform clubs replaced by social movementsmovements

Solidary groupsSolidary groups

Most common form of party Most common form of party organization organization

Members motivated by solidary Members motivated by solidary incentives incentives

Advantage: neither corrupt nor Advantage: neither corrupt nor inflexible inflexible

Disadvantage: not very hard workingDisadvantage: not very hard working

Sponsored partiesSponsored parties

Created or sustained by another Created or sustained by another organization organization

Example: Detroit Democrats Example: Detroit Democrats controlled by UAW controlled by UAW

Not very commonNot very common

Personal followingPersonal following

Examples: Kennedys, Curley, Examples: Kennedys, Curley, Talmadges, Longs Talmadges, Longs

Viability today affected by TV Viability today affected by TV and radio and radio

Advantage: vote for the person Advantage: vote for the person

Disadvantage: takes time to Disadvantage: takes time to know the personknow the person

U.S. Political PartiesU.S. Political PartiesThe two-party system The two-party system

– Rarity among nations today Rarity among nations today – Evenly balanced nationally, not locally Evenly balanced nationally, not locally – Why such a permanent feature? Why such a permanent feature? – Electoral system: winner-take-all and Electoral system: winner-take-all and

plurality system plurality system – Opinions of voters: two broad Opinions of voters: two broad

coalitionscoalitions

American Parties As Broad Coalitions

1. Plurality, winner take all system, especially in the electoral college.2. Voters agree on enough issues to make broad coalitions possible, no real differences like organization of the economy, prerogatives of the monarchy, and the role of the church.

Types of Minor Parties

1. Ideological parties2. One issue parties3. Economic protest parties4. Factional parties

ExamplesExamples– Ideological parties: comprehensive, radical Ideological parties: comprehensive, radical

view; most enduringview; most enduringExamples: Socialist, Communist, Libertarian Examples: Socialist, Communist, Libertarian

– One-issue parties: address one concern, avoid One-issue parties: address one concern, avoid othersothersExamples: Free Soil, Know-Nothing, Prohibition Examples: Free Soil, Know-Nothing, Prohibition

– Economic protest parties: regional, oppose Economic protest parties: regional, oppose depressionsdepressionsExamples: Greenback, Populist Examples: Greenback, Populist

– Factional parties: from split in a major partyFactional parties: from split in a major partyExamples: Bull Moose, Henry Wallace, American Examples: Bull Moose, Henry Wallace, American IndependentIndependent

Are there Significant Differences - Primarily Between Activists, not between voters.

Nominating A President

1. Are the delegates representative of the voters?2. Who Votes in Primaries?

Are the delegates representative of Are the delegates representative of the voters? the voters?

Democratic delegates much Democratic delegates much more liberal more liberal

Republican delegates much Republican delegates much more conservativemore conservative

Who votes in primaries?Who votes in primaries?

Primaries now more numerous and more Primaries now more numerous and more decisive decisive

Stevenson and Humphrey never entered a Stevenson and Humphrey never entered a primary primary

By 1992: forty primaries and twenty caucusesBy 1992: forty primaries and twenty caucuses

Little ideological difference between primary Little ideological difference between primary voters and rank-and-file party votersvoters and rank-and-file party voters

CaucusCaucus

Meeting of party followers at Meeting of party followers at which delegates are picked which delegates are picked

Only most-dedicated Only most-dedicated partisans attend partisans attend

Often choose most Often choose most ideological candidate: ideological candidate: Jackson, Robertson in 1988Jackson, Robertson in 1988

Parties versus votersParties versus voters

– Democrats: win congressional elections but Democrats: win congressional elections but lose presidential contests lose presidential contests

– Candidates are out of step with average Candidates are out of step with average voters on social and tax issues voters on social and tax issues

– So are delegates, and there's a connectionSo are delegates, and there's a connection– Republicans had the same problem with Republicans had the same problem with

Goldwater (1964) Goldwater (1964) – Rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans Rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans

differ on many political issues, but the differ on many political issues, but the differences are usually small differences are usually small

– Delegates from two parties differ widely on Delegates from two parties differ widely on these same issuesthese same issues

Formula for winning presidentFormula for winning president

Nominate candidates with views Nominate candidates with views closer to the average citizen closer to the average citizen (e.g., 1996 election) (e.g., 1996 election)

Fight campaign over issues Fight campaign over issues agreed on by delegates and agreed on by delegates and voters (e.g., 1992 election)voters (e.g., 1992 election)

SELF TEST

For more information about this topic, link to the Metropolitan Community College Political Science Web Site

http://socsci.mccneb.edu/pos/polscmain.htm