Political Parties A group of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the hold of public offices.

Key Issues and Questions • What are political parties and what do they do? Why do we have a two party system and how does a two party system differ from a multiparty system? What differentiates our major parties an how have they evolved over time?

Party Functions Organize the Competition Unify the Electorate Inspire and Inform Voters Translate Preferences into Policy Provide Loyal Opposition Organize Government Help Govern Act as Watchdogs Nominate Candidates Ensure Candidate Quality

Party Systems One Party Systems Two Party Systems Multi-party Systems

Why America Has Only Two Dominant Parties? Historical circumstance The stability of two Laws that preserve the two party monopoly Informal institutional supports

Supporters of a strong central government and ratification First Era Organization of New Nation=Organization of Parties ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? As Americans evaluated the proposal for government, two “factions” emerge… Timeframe: 1787-1800 Federalists Proponents of the Constitution Supporters of a strong central government and ratification Anti-Federalists Opponents of the Constitution Feared increasing the powers of the central government and no formal bill of rights And the CHANGE- After influential NEW YORK and VIRGINIA bring ratifying States total to 11, there is not much sense remaining as an Anti-Federalist, so………….

Two-Party System emerges…and the fights begin. Timeframe: 1790-1816 Second Era Two-Party System emerges…and the fights begin. “Leading” Federalists “Leading” Dem-Reps Vicious rancor rears its ugly head as parties begin to vie for office and the support of the electorate. George Washington presides without holding to one specific party, and upon his decision to renounce serving a third term partially due to the emerging parties’ squabbles, he warns the fledgling nation; Adams Jefferson Madison Hamilton However combinations or associations...may answer popular ends, they are likely...to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reigns of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”  -Farewell Address Sept. 19, 1796 Democrat-Republicans (Farming) Advocated; States’ rights “Strict” Interpretation Inclined toward France Supported by agrarian West and South Federalists (Business) Advocated; Strong, central government “Loose” Interpretation Inclined toward England Supported by commercial Northeast NOPE! BUT DID WE LISTEN??? And the CHANGE- The Federalists implode opposing the War of 1812, changing America’s political landscape and the nature of political parties.

Party Systems Multiparty Two party Coalition government is necessary Minor parties have an incentive to persevere Proportional representation Governments tend toward instability Choice Difficult to come to a consensus Parties are more distinctive Two party Winner-takes-all system “Wasted vote” syndrome discourages minor parties Government tends toward stability Parties tend to be umbrella parties Truly competitive elections Voters limited to two choices The U.S. is a two-party system; most other democracies have a multiparty system 8

American Party History Federalist Party Anti-Mason Party Two minor anti-slavery parties in the 1840s: Liberty Party Free-soil party Greenback Party People’s Party American Socialist Party Socialist Labor Party The same early leaders who so frequently stated their opposition to them also recognized the need to organize officeholders who shared their views so that government could act to pass its measures. The Washington administration had to fashion a coalition among factions. This job fell to Treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton, who built an informal Federalist party. Secretary of state Jefferson and other officials, many of whom despised Hamilton and his aristocratic ways as much as they opposed the policies he favored, were uncertain about how to deal with these political differences. When Jefferson left the cabinet at the end of 1793, many who joined him in opposition to the administration’s economic policies remained in Congress, forming a group of legislators opposed to Federalist fiscal policies and eventually to Federalist foreign policy, which appeared “soft on Britain.” This party was later known as Republicans, then as Democratic-Republicans, and finally as Democrats. 9

Why America Has Only Two Dominant Parties The Stability: It just so happened that two major factions emerged in our early years. However, once this happened, it became difficult for any third faction to for a third party to survive. This is because a third group would steal votes from one of the other existing parties, thus splitting the votes and dooming both of them. Thus, new groups usually merged into one of the two existing factions.

Why America Has Only Two Dominant Parties Informal Institutional Supports: – Media Coverage – Voter Loyalty – Ability to Raise Cash – Public Perception (third parties are just for wackos)

Why America Has Only Two Dominant Parties Laws that Preserve the Two Party Monopoly: – Single member districts/winner take all – Vs. a proportional system

Multi-Party System In Multi-party states, it’s difficult for any one party to win a majority. Coalitions with similar parties become necessary. But coalition partners may resign over particular government policies, so this system is less stable. Example of government instability: Italy, from 1945 to 1995, had 44 different coalition governments.

Example: Israeli Elections 2006 March 2006 Election outcome: Kadima Party wins the most with 28 seats in the Knesset. The new Prime Minister must form a coalition government.

Single Member Plurality (SMP) The candidate who wins a plurality of the vote prevails; a majority is not needed. Only one seat per district. No way for voters to designate their 2nd choice. Tends to produce a two-party system unless a small party’s voters are concentrated in a district. Used in the U.S., Canada, India, Britain, New Zealand, Germany.

Single Member Plurality (SMP) system Electoral College: Presidential candidates must win 270 electors (out of 538) to win office. Example: Ross Perot & Reform Party in 1992 won 19% of the popular vote but not one elector.

Proportional Representation (PR). Each district has multiple seats. Each political party wins the same proportion of seats as the vote it wins. Favors the development of multiple political parties.

Assume the following vote distribution in a district with 10 parliamentary seats: Quisenberry Party wins 50% Wiggins Party wins 30% Baker Party wins 20% How many seats does each party win?

Wiggins Party wins 50% Quisenberry Party wins 30% Baker Party wins 20% SO: Wigginistas gain 5 seats Quisenberries win 3 seats Bakerites gain 2 seats

Would the U.S. be better off with a multi-party or two party system?

Two Party vs. Multiparty Systems • Both systems, being democratic, rest on compromise. – In a two party system, compromise takes place prior to elections as parties select moderate candidates who they believe can win a majority. – In multiparty systems, ideologically pure parties are forced to compromise after elections in order to form a majority coalition to pass laws (and often select a prime minister).

Two Party vs. Multiparty System pros and cons • Two party systems tend to be more stable. • Multi-party systems offer voters more choice. • Having only two choices may dampen voter turnout. • Two Party Systems narrow legislative debate: – Even if outvoted, small parties if represented are likely to raise issues the other parties wouldn’t otherwise discuss. • Two Party Systems may be more polarizing: – Parties in multiparty systems must work together and form coalitions which forces members to reach across party lines.

One-Party Systems Dictatorships Areas dominated by a party Government & party closely linked. No opposition parties permitted.