Political Parties & the Party System Chapter 9

Learning Objectives Origins of Canada’s party system Brokerage politics Role of minor parties Party finances

Political Party Organized group that nominates candidates and contests elections to influence the personnel and policies of government.

Seven Functions of Parties Integrating citizens into the political system Developing policy Elite recruitment Organization of government Structuring the vote Organizing public opinion Interest aggregation

Canadian Parties First Party System, 1867-1921 Liberals and Conservatives dominated Canadian politics. Conservatives began in 1854 with MacDonald Mackenzie headed the Liberal government from 1873-1878. Went from one-party dominance of Conservatives to two-party system with Liberals and Conservatives on equal footing.

Prime Ministers, 1867-1921 John A. Macdonald Conservative 1867-1873 Alexander Mackenzie Liberal 1873-1878 1878-1891 John Abbott 1891-1892 John Thompson 1892-1894 Mackenzie Bowell 1894-1896 Charles Tupper 1896 Wilfrid Laurier 1896-1911 Robert Borden 1911-1920 Arthur Meighen 1920-1921

Second Party System, 1921-1957 Two-party system to a two-plus or two-and-a-half party system. Dominated by Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent. 1921, farmers entered with progressive candidates. CCF formed in Calgary in 1932. 1933, Regina Manifesto adopted. 1935 Social Credit, 1935.

Prime Ministers, 1921-1957 Mackenzie King Liberal 1921-1926 Arthur Meighen Conservative 1926 1926-1930 R.B. Bennett 1930-1935 1935-1948 Louis St. Laurent 1948-1957

The Third Party System, 1957-1993 Altering minority and majority governments. NDP created in 1961. 1980s, three-party system. NDP was entrenched as the third national party.

Prime Ministers, 1957-1993 John Diefenbaker PC 1957-1963 Lester Pearson Liberal 1963-1968 Pierre Trudeau 1968-1979 Joe Clark 1979-1980 1980-1984 John Turner 1984 Brian Mulroney 1984-1993 Kim Campbell 1993

Fourth Party System, 1993-? Emergence of two new regional parties. Multi-party system. Canadian politics have become more regionalized.

The Broker System Political parties are conciliators, mediators, or brokers to the cleavages in Canadian society. They maximize their appeal to the most number of voters. This reduces the ideological stance of the Liberals and Conservatives and underscores the fight for the middle.

Class-based Parties The development of the CCF and the NDP underlines the theory behind class-based parties. These parties were disenfranchised by the traditional Liberal/Conservative collusion.

One-party Dominance The view that the Liberals are the natural governing party in Canada. Conservatives have assumed the role of opposition party. The NDP are labeled the innovation party.

Decline of Parties Traditional parties have been taken over by other institutions. Parties gear their activities to the media. Public opinion polls serve a better role than the Members of Parliament to gauge public opinion.

Minor Parties Factors that influence the emergence of minor parties: Region Ethnicity Class The economy Charismatic leadership.

Rise of Minor Parties,  Region Ethnicity Class Economy Leader Progressives  CCF Social Credit Reconstruction Bloc Populaire NDP Creditists Libertarian Christian Heritage Green Confederation of Regions Reform Bloc Quebecois

Party Organization Parliamentary party, or party caucus. Party’s elected representatives in parliament. Extra-parliamentary party Party activists and executive members, Headquarters Bureaucracy, staff Ordinary party members

Mass and Cadre Parties Cadre Mass Small local or national elite dominate Parliamentary party selects leaders Depends on small number of large donations Permits the parliamentary party to formulate party policy Run by elite Mass Large membership Leader chosen at convention Financed on membership fees Allows membership input on policy Operates democratically

General Structure and Operations Conventions Held regularly Election of party executive, policy discussion Leadership Party Executive Party Headquarters Federal-Provincial Party Links

Iron Law of Oligarchy Roberto Michels. Tendency towards elitism is inevitable within all political parties. Leaders create small group of advisors who hold majority of power. Parliamentary wing of party claims precedence over party.

Party Ideology Can parties be placed on a left-right continuum? Does the scale given in the text provide better coherence. What would your scale look like?