Political Parties (Major & Third Parties) AP Government: Mrs. Lacks

Political parties Political parties are an essential component of republican government What precisely is a political party? An organization that sponsors candidates for public office under the organization’s name, label, title, or banner

Two-party system The US is a two-party system Democratic Republican Most democracies have multiple parties

Multi-Party Systems Country: # of parties represented in legislature Australia: 7 Denmark:11 Germany: 5 Guatemala: 11 Iceland: 5 Israel: 12 Turkey: 4

What parties do 1. Nominate candidates for public office to represent the party’s message

What parties do 2. Influence Policy Members of the Senate and House of Reps are also members of political parties Senators and MCs from each party often work together to create and pass laws that support their party’s platform

What parties do 3. Unite Government an organization/membership federalism

What parties do 4. Create balance – majority and minority

What parties do 5. Inform citizens Run ads Distribute pamphlets Post blogs Give speech advice Bc all this info is biased, citizens must seek other sources of info

In the beginning… Our country has for most of its history been a two- party system, but not in the beginning There is no mention of political parties in the Constitution

In the beginning… Federalist Paper #10 James Madison recognized the dangers inherent with factions (parties)

First political parties formed Original parties Federalists Strong central govt National bank Adams, Hamilton Democratic-Republicans Stronger state govts Jefferson, Madison

Two-party system Oldest continuous political party: Democrats Started in 1820s 1st POTUS: Andrew Jackson Second oldest continuous political party: Republicans Started in 1850s after split of Whig Party Founded as the anti-slavery party 1st POTUS: Abraham Lincoln

Realignment Elections critical elections that produce a sharp change in existing patterns of party loyalty which last a prolonged period of time

Realignment Elections 1. Democratic Republican Thomas Jefferson beats Federalist John Adams in 1800 2. Democratic Andrew Jackson beats Democratic Republican John Quincy Adams in 1828 3. Republican Abraham Lincoln wins in 1860 4. Republican McKinley beats Democrat Bryan in 1896* 5. Election of 1932 – Democrat FDR breaks 72 years of Republican domination (holds for 20 years; until end of WWII) Both candidates were new, new issues, voter alignment changed

Other possibilities 1968 1980 1992

Realignment Elections Does not always refer to the executive We see this with mid-term elections as well

Video Guide to Reps & Dems

Third Parties Third or minor parties DO exist in US elections major 3rd party candidates that changed elections Election of 1912: Teddy Roosevelt (Bull Moose or Progressive Party) Election of 1992: Ross Perot (Independent Party)

Third Parties Why haven’t any won the presidency? People think their vote won’t count Electoral College works against them (must have 270 electoral votes to win); winner takes all Not all third parties are listed in all states Not all third party candidates are asked to participate in national debates Its hard to raise as much money as the RNC or DNC

Third Parties Political scientists group them into 4 categories Economic protest parties Single issue parties Ideological parties Factional or splinter parties

Economic Protest Parties Seek to accomplish that which changes an economic situation Typically farmers and laborers Examples: Populist Party (1887 – 1908): mostly poor white cotton farmers in South and poor wheat farmers in the Midwest; supported bimetallism, etc. Greenback Party (1874 – 1884): opposed the shift from paper money back to a coin-based monetary system because it believed that privately owned banks and corporations would then reacquire the power to define the value of products and labor

Single-Issue Parties Champion a specific goal, focusing on nothing else Examples: Free Soil Party (mid-1800s): created to restrict the movement of American slaves into the western territories (goal became Republican, party dissolved) Know-Nothing Party (mid-1800s): wanted to end immigration (Eastern European Catholics being the primary targets) Prohibition Party (early 20th century) Woman’s Suffrage Party (early 20th century)

Ideological Parties Typically longest lasting third parties Never have come close to winning an election, but have existed over 100 yrs Examples: Libertarian Party (3rd largest party today) Green Party American Communist Party American Socialist Party

Factional or Splinter Parties Form when a major party implodes When the Democratic or Republican party has broken into two sections it becomes weaker and is likely to lose the election (but you also know that many people have that ideology) Examples: Rep Party split (TR vs. Taft in 1912), Dem Wilson won Dems split in 1948 (Dixiecrats formed), Rep Eisenhower won

Third Parties Third parties are good because they remind the two major parties they need broad-based coalitions to win (aka be more moderate)