1. Development of American Political Parties
The Two-Party System CH

2. What Is a Political Party?
A political party is a group of citizens who try to control government by winning elections and holding public offices.
Why do parties want to control government?
These groups work to create public policies that reflect their views.
Essential to democratic government.
Help link the people and their wishes to government action.
Help unify the people by finding compromise among contending views.

3. Functions of Political Parties
Nominate candidates: select and gain support for candidates for office.
Inform and inspire voters: inform people about and stimulate interest in public affairs.
Help govern: Operate on partisan lines in Congress and State legislatures.
Partisanship: the strong support for their party and its policy stands.
Act as watchdogs: Observe and criticize the operation of government, especially officials of the other party.

4. The Two-Party System
In the U.S., there is a two-party system: two major political parties dominate politics.
Minor parties exist but do not hold wide support.
Emerged during ratification of Constitution.
2 Parties: Feds & Anti-Feds
The Republicans emerged as a major party in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln.
The Democratic Party formed under Andrew Jackson twenty years earlier.
Why still two-party?
Tradition
Electoral college

6. Minor Parties
Four types of minor parties have played a role in American politics.
Ideological parties: based on certain social, economic, or political ideas.
They do not often win elections, but they remain active for a long time.
Single-issue parties: focus on one public policy matter.
Fade away once issue has been resolved.
Economic protest parties: appear during tough financial times.
Criticize the economic actions and plans of the major parties.
Splinter parties: parties that have broken away from one of the major parties.
Usually have a strong leader who lost a major party’s nomination.
Although most do not support, still have an impact on politics and on the major parties.
Act as critics and innovators, drawing attention to otherwise neglected or controversial issues.
Third parties do act as “spoilers”, pulling votes away thus making party weaker.

7. Minor Parties in the United States

8. The Odds Are Against Them
It is difficult for third parties candidates to raise enough money to compete with the major parties.
Only one candidate can win in a given district. Usually the winner is either Democratic or Republican.
Third-party candidates must show they have support by getting voter signatures to even be placed on the ballot for national office.
Ross Perot ran for President in 1992 as a third party candidate against Bill Clinton and George Bush

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