POLITICAL SPECTRUM

Radical Total Change Believe in violence for the good of the cause is fine (Campus riots, 1960’s

Liberal Support change Good things – plan for it, should be legal.

“Middle of the Road” Benefit both sides Independents Moderate

Conservative Must prove change will be a benefit (If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!) Oppose change

Reactionary Want to go back to the way things used to be Ku-Klux Klan

Conservative: traditional, cautious, do not favor major changes

Liberal: tend to favor change or try new ideas, not bound by tradition

Moderate: “Middle of the Road”, not extreme, try to get support from liberals and conservatives

Federalists: led by Alexander Hamilton – First Political Party 1. Supported a strong national government

2. Became the Republican Party in 1854 – formed by people who opposed slavery

3. Lincoln – First Republican President in 1860

Antifederalists: Led by Thomas Jefferson 1. Supported a strong state government

2. Became the Democratic- Republican Party 3. Andrew Jackson- 1 st Democrat elected President in 1828

History of the two Major Political Parties 1828 – Democratic- Republican Party led by Thomas Jefferson Federalist Party led by Alexander Hamilton

1830- Federalist Party fades away – Whig Party formed Democratic-Republican Party became the Democratic Party

1854 – Republican Party formed by those who opposed slavery and soon replaced the Whig Party

Third Parties 1. No third party has ever won a presidential election 2. They have affected election results

3. They propose ideas that are eventually adopted by major political parties.

4. Populist Party of the 1890’s called for direct election of senators and an eight hour workday.

5. Progressive Party 1) Split from Republican Party in 1912

2) Called the Bull Moose Party – Theodore Roosevelt said he felt as “fit as a Bull Moose”

3)Roosevelt took away votes from the Republican, Wm. Howard Taft so that the Democrat, Woodrow Wilson won the election.

Ideological Parties 1. Focus on changing society in major ways

2. Socialist Labor Party and Communist Party USA: Support government ownership of transportation, factories, farms, businesses

3. Libertarian Party Wants to cut the size of government 4. Green Party Opposes powerful corporations

Other Party Systems 1. Most democracies have a multiparty system: Canada – 3 major parties Germany – 5 major parties Israel – more than 20 major parties

In a multiparty system, one party rarely wins enough support to control the government, so several parties must work together.

One Party Systems: 1. Party and government are the same thing: Peoples Republic of China- Communist party Iran – run by Muslim leaders

Today’s Political Parties 1. Basic difference – how much government should be involved in the lives of Americans.

1) Democrats: more Federal government involvement in: economyhousing incomeeducation Jobs for poor

2)Republicans: want less government regulation If economy grows, the poor will be able to find jobs and meet their own needs.

2. Avoid extreme positions on issues in order to get the most votes

3. Platform:made up of all the planks for the party- series of statements expressing where the party stands on the issues

Plank: individual part of the party’s platform Example: abortion gun laws taxes education

Single Issue Parties 1. Don’t plan on winning but want to promote a social, economic, or moral issue. 2. Prohibitionist Party, 1872 – ban sale of alcohol