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UNIT TWO: OPINIONS, INTERESTS, AND ORGANIZATIONS Chapter 9: Political Parties
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Linkage Institutions “The means by which individuals express preferences regarding the development of public policy” Groups which link the people to their government PPIGMM Political Parties Interest Groups Mass Media
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Political Parties Groups which try to control government policy Seeks to elect like- minded people to office
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Political Parties Activities A LABEL for the voters to easily recognize This has weakened somewhat over the decades An ORGANIZATION for Recruiting candidates Campaigning for candidates GREATLY weaker over the past decades LEADERSHIP Organize government policy Control government direction Remains almost as strong
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European Political Parties Much stronger in European nations (in any parliamentary system really) Voting district candidates MUST be authorized by a party to run as a member of that party. List candidates may fill out parliaments by party- appointed MPs using a proportional system Parties in parliament elect the prime minister from the MPs to serve as head of government The cabinet may be members of parliament
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American Political Parties Weaker than parliamentary counterparts Federal System Multiple levels decentralizes power Decentralized power = weakened parties National parties were often coalitions of local parties State and federal regulations Primary elections select candidates Candidates are not selected by the party leaders
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American Political Parties Weaker than parliamentary counterparts Separation of Power Head of Government (president) may NOT be a sitting member of Congress Cabinet members may NOT be sitting members of Congress Political Culture American political culture separates politics from Social lives Business lives Working lives
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Rise of Political Parties Founding Era Party conflicts were Mostly about policy differences Seen to be an indictment on the legitimacy of the national government
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Rise of Political Parties The Founding Era
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Rise of Political Parties Founding Era Every president since the Jefferson-Hamilton/Adams conflicts has had to persuade the public that, despite partisan politics, the presidency exists to serve all of the people.
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Rise of Political Parties Jacksonian Era Political participation becomes a mass phenomenon New laws enlarged eligible voter status Population growth swelled voter numbers Presidential Electors chosen by popular vote in most states Party conventions replace legislative caucuses for selection of nominees
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Rise of Political Parties Civil War and Antebellum Era Slavery divides parties as much as it does the nation Modern Republican Party emerges from the “Free Soil Party” Whig Party fades away The McKinley-Bryan election Realignment / Critical Election Last time a nominee ran on “agrarian power” base Republican party strengthens
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Rise of Political Parties Civil War and Antebellum Era McKinley Businessmen, professionals, skilled workers, prosperous (large scale) farmers Regional strength Northeast Upper Midwest Pacific Coast
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Rise of Political Parties Civil War and Antebellum Era Bryan Alienated northeasterners Moralistic rhetoric “Crusading for inflation” (Free Siverite) Regional strength South Rural Midwest Rocky Mountain states
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Rise of Political Parties Civil War and Antebellum Era States become single party states at the national level
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Rise of Political Parties Civil War and Antebellum Era The single party splits into factions at the state level Mugwumps (Progressives) Reformers Advocacy of party platform Principle was prized above all Stalwarts Build up party machinery Party loyalty is prized Patronage is expected Interested in WINNING at all costs
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Evolution of Political Parties The Era of Reform Progressives push measures to reform the abuses of the political parties Wanted primaries to replace party conventions Break corrupt alliances of business and parties Strict voter-registration requirements Used media to get the word out
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Evolution of Political Parties The Era of Reform Successes Initiative Referendum Recall Direct Primaries Effects Weaken party machines and bosses Weaken party structure in general
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Political Parties Realignment and Critical Elections Sharp and LASTING shifts in popular support for a political party Kinds One party disappears and is replaced by another one Both parties continue but one loses support of a sub- group
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Political Parties Some Critical Elections 1800 Jeffersonian Democrats defeat Federalists and kept presidency for 24 years Issue was states’ rights 1860 Whigs disappear and are replaced by Republicans Issue was slavery
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Political Parties Some Critical Elections 1896 Both parties emerge in modern form of “pro-business” Republicans and “pro-worker” Democrats Issue was economics 1932 New Deal Coalition Urbanites, Unions, Jews, Poor, Southerners and African Americans join Democratic ranks Issue was economics
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Political Parties 1968 Nixon’s Southern Strategy to pull South to Republican ranks Issue was civil rights and “law and order” 1980? 1992? 2008? Too soon to tell if any sweeping changes are lasting changes
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Party Decline Trends Proportion of people identifying with one party or the other is in decline Split ticket voting has increased Use of office-bloc ballot expands Massachusetts ballot Candidates are grouped by office Candidates in each race is listed randomly Use of party-column ballot declines Indiana ballot All party candidates are listed in a single column Can vote straight ticket by checking off column
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Party Decline
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National Party Structure Parties still matter In most elections Registered Democrats vote for Democrats Registered Republicans vote for Republicans In legislative voting Elected Democrats vote with Democrats Elected Republicans vote with Republicans
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) National Conventions Ultimate party power Meets every four years Nominates presidential candidate National Committee In charge of managing party affairs between conventions Comprised of delegates from each state and territory Selects the National Chairman
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) National Chairman Full-time job Paid position Manages day-to-day business of the party Congressional Campaign Committee Made up of congressmen from each party Helps elect party members to Congress
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) Republican National Committee starts to become more bureaucratized Use computers Develop mailing lists Raise money from likely donors Recruit and train viable candidates Republicans show gains in several elections Democrats quickly follow suit
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Party Structure (on the outline) Raising money Hard money Money given directly to a candidate Easy to “follow the trail” Soft money Money given to parties Parties use the money to Run commercials Help select candidates More difficult to track
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Party Structure
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) The National Convention Before the convention Primary Elections Open Closed Caucuses Can be just like primary election Can be a debate Can vote and revote until one candidate wins Attended by activists Candidates must cater to the extremes of the party
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) The National Conventions Democratic attendees are more liberal than the average Democratic voter Republican attendees are more conservative than the average Republican voter Delegate selection Democrats give more weight to big states Republicans give more weight to loyal states
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) The National Convention Democratic Delegates Superdelegates Elected officials Party “big wigs” Reforms Less power to superdelegates Less power to special-interest groups More power to state-elected delegates
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Party Structure (take your own notes here) At the convention Delegates RATIFY nominee which has already been determined in state primaries and caucuses Party platform is outlined It’s more a big “pep rally” than a political direction-selection meeting
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State and Local Parties The Machine Recruits members with promises Jobs Political favors Other services Members trade votes for those promises Elected officials vote for legislation favorable to the Machine Hatch Act curtails powers of Machines
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State and Local Parties Ideological Parties Value principle above all else Would rather be “right” than win May be “Single Issue Party” Solidary Groups Come together through common interests Stay together for social reasons Enjoyment Status Friends
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State and Local Parties Sponsored Parties Another association creates or pays expenses of a party organization Personal Following Cult of personality Appealing personality Lots of friends Access to lots of money
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State and Local Parties (extra notes – not on your outline) Protest Parties Upset with current conditions Not satisfied with solutions from the major parties Splinter Groups Group from WITHIN a party is dissatisfied with platform or candidate Bolt from “mother party” to form own party
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The Two-Party System Only two parties have a realistic shot at winning national elections Rare in the world Reasons we keep it Winner take all method Plurality system Get the most votes, get ALL of the spoils Doesn’t even have to be a majority of the votes Example: Electoral College The two parties we have reflect American values
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The Two-Party System Reasons we keep it Historical reasons Unifying force Two parties moderate each other Multiple parties create more division in society Social and religious organizations are separate from politics It’s tradition Fear of change
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Role of Minor Parties Critics of policy stagnation Innovators of new ideas Gain public attention Popular ideas are often co-opted by a major party Influence nominations Influence platforms Spoilers Fear of bolting to form a splinter party
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