Slide1: Chapter 7 Political Parties POL 140 Fall 2007 Dr. Attar Murray State University


Focus Questions: Focus Questions How has the role of political parties in American politics changed during the past two centuries?


Slide3: How did the progressive reforms of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries affect political parties in the United States? Focus Questions- Cont


Slide4: Are American political parties in decline, and, if so, should we be worried about it? Focus Questions- Cont


Slide5: How do Democrats and Republicans differ by race, income, ideology, and similar characteristics? Focus Questions- Cont


Slide6: What role have minor parties, often called third parties, played in American history? Focus Questions- End


Political Parties in the United States: Political Parties in the United States Unlike interest groups, political parties contest elections and try to win control of the institutions of government.


Slide8: Parties attempt to elect officials to run government whereas interest groups seek to influence government to benefit their members, and social movements try to make fundamental changes in the values of the political system. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide9: The Founders were skeptical of “factions” but over the course of the 19th century Americans came to believe that political parties could organize and structure democratic politics in ways that facilitated citizen participation. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide10: Scholars have three views of American parties; they see them as “big tents,” or in the idealistic terms of the “responsible parties model,” or simply as teams of aspiring officeholders Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide11: A. Party Eras in the United States Political parties compete with other parties to win elections. Parties offer competing visions of how government should be run. Because political climates change, the balance of power between parties has changed at different points in time. Periods in American history have witnessed third parties and more competitive parties. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide12: B. The Preparty Period Unlike today’s political leaders, the Founders did not believe political parties had a place in American politics. Factions did form, however, in this preparty period. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide13: C. 1800–1824 : Federalists versus Jeffersonian Republicans As the divisions between factions increased, more defined groups emerged. The first two major groups were Hamiltonian Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide14: 1. Federalists found support from commercial interests and urban northern areas. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide15: 2. The Jeffersonian Republicans, later known as the Democrats, found support from more agrarian interests in the South and West. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide16: 3. While the Federalists were dominant in the decades immediately following the Revolution, the Democrats became dominant in the early 1800s. The Federalists became electorally impotent outside of New England after 1815 and the time was called the “Era of Good Feeling.” Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Political Parties in the United States : Political Parties in the United States D. 1828–1856: Jacksonian Democrats versus Whigs The Hamiltonian Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans were factions, but they did not function fully like modern political parties. The first real political parties as they are now known emerged during the 1830s. These parties were the Jacksonian Democrats, known as Democrats, and the Whigs. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide18: 1. The Democrats were championed by Andrew Jackson and stood for agrarian interests, small government, democratic responsiveness, and individual freedom. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide19: 2. The Whigs, led by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, developed in opposition to the Jacksonians and stood for government policies designed to foster industrial development. The Whigs and Democrats matched organization and electoral techniques and reached parity until just before the Civil War. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide20: E. 1860–1892: The Civil War System The issue of slavery and its role in the American political system helped cause the decline of the Whigs and helped form the Republican party. The Republican party opposed slavery, controlled the northern states, and elected Abraham Lincoln as president. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide21: 1. With Lincoln’s election and the Northern victory in the Civil War, the Republican party held the dominant position in federal elections. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide22: 2. The Republican party did not focus on rebuilding the South or helping to bring economic recovery once Reconstruction became too costly. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide23: 3. In the years following the Civil War, the political parties began to achieve more parity except in the South where the Democrats were dominant. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide24: 4. The spoils system was popular and voter turnout was high. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide25: F. 1896–1928: The System of 1896 From 1896 to 1932, the American party system was marked by extended periods of one party dominance, followed by a move toward conservatism and then a dramatic electoral event. The presidential contest between Republican William McKinley and the Democrat William Jennings Bryan appeared to be a critical election for the balance of party power. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide26: 1. McKinley won, and the Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide27: 2. The Democrats had success at the presidential level, winning two of five elections, but their success was rather limited at the congressional level. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide28: 3. Both parties during this time had to cope with the Progressive Movement. Progressives called for the end to the spoils system of patronage and other reforms that lessened the power of parties over elections and voters. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide29: 4. The early decades of the twentieth century also marked the advent of the party primary in which voters affiliated with the party could elect the nominee of the party. Prior to this reform, parties selected nominees by caucus or at conventions. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide30: 5. In addition to primaries, the advent and widespread adoption of the initiative, referendum, and recall increased individual voters’ opportunities to participate. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide31: G. 1932–1964: The New Deal System After the Republicans failed to respond effectively to the Great Depression, the Democrats seized control of government in 1932. President Franklin Roosevelt moved to pass sweeping new laws and policies designed to curb the crisis; this was called the “New Deal.” Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide32: 1. Roosevelt moved to alleviate the effects of the Depression with social programs and employment programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide33: 2. Roosevelt also moved to create a stronger system of economic regulation with the advent of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Banking Act of 1935. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide34: 3. Following World War II, Harry Truman continued in Roosevelt’s course and continued Democratic control that lasted, with the exception of President Eisenhower, until the late 1960s. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide35: 2. During this long period of Democratic control, government expanded and many new programs were initiated, including Truman’s Fair Deal, Kennedy’s New Frontier, and Johnson’s Great Society. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide36: H. 1968–2000: The Era of Divided Government Many scholars and observers of American politics have argued that the period between 1968 to 1996 marked an era of divided government. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide37: From 1968 to 1992, Republicans generally controlled the presidency while the Democrats held Congress. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide38: In 1992, however, a Democrat won the presidency and in 1994 the Republicans took control of both Houses of Congress for the first time since the 1952 election. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide39: Voters seemed unwilling to permit party government and were willing to try almost any variation on divided government; this pattern continued in the 2000 elections. Political Parties in the United states- Cont


Slide40: Political Parties in the United states- End


The State of Political Parties in the United States : The State of Political Parties in the United States The strength and condition of political parties within the American system can be examined by looking at parties in three distinct ways: party in the electorate, party organization, and party in government.


Slide42: A. Party in the electorate is the level of commitment to a party that exists in the electorate. 1. It has been generally accepted that elections are no longer party-centered but are instead candidate-centered. 2. Elections no longer hinge on the party’s ability to mobilize its grass roots support now that candidates are more reliant on money to run media campaigns. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide43: 3. The commitment of individuals to their choice of political party is known as party identification. 4. Political scientists have looked to understand changes in partisanship in society. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide44: 5. In addition to the tendency of individuals to move away from parties and identify themselves as Independents, party loyalty has weakened as individuals change from strong partisans to weak partisans. Strong partisans turn out at high rates and solidly support the nominee of their party whereas weak partisans turn out less and are less loyal to the nominee of their party. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide45: 6. Republicans are five or six percentage points more likely to turn out and five to ten points more likely to support the candidate of their party than are Democrats. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide46: 7. Even though there are more Democrats than Republicans, the small Republican advantages in turnout and loyalty have resulted in a deeply divided and evenly balanced electorate. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide47: The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide48: The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide49: B. Who are today’s Democrats and Republicans? There are differences between identifiers. Democrats tend to be minorities, women, union members, urban dwellers, liberals, less religious, less educated, and less well-off financially. Republicans tend to be whites, men, suburbanites, conservatives, more religious, more educated, and better-off financially. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide50: C. Party organization is the way in which parties are structured and organized and the services they deliver. 1. The traditional party structure was conceived of as a pyramid. The base of this structure was the local party apparatus and was followed by the less broad levels of city, county, district, and state committees followed by the national committees as the top of this triangle. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide51: 2. Local party organizations were once a dominant political force in the era of the party “machines.” This term stood for the party’s large network of personal contacts within the locality that controlled goods and services provided by government, and would control candidates and officeholders. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide52: 3. Each of the fifty state parties has at its organizational apex a Democratic and Republican Central Committee. These committees are charged with organizing state conventions or caucuses, allocating campaign funds, and selecting national convention delegates. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide53: 4. The national party organizations have also gone through changes during the past fifty years. National party organizations are now better staffed and funded than at any point in time. They have developed national campaign committees and more general national committees. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide54: 5. Even with the decline in partisanship, parties remain viable because they have mastered new techniques and use new technologies. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide55: D. Party in government is either the elected officials or appointed officials who identify with a party. 1. Parties conduct elections by offering policy alternatives (an agenda) and try to enact them once in office. 2. A recent example of a specific party agenda was the Republicans’ “Contract With America.” The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide56: 3. The president is the head of his party and is responsible for furthering an agenda that follows the party’s position. 4. The political party out of power often serves as loyal opposition. This opposition requires an increased level of partisanship. The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide57: The State of Political Parties in the United States-Cont


Slide58: The State of Political Parties in the United States- End


The Impact of Third Parties on American Politics : The Impact of Third Parties on American Politics The United States operates basically as a two-party system but various minor parties usually field candidates for executive offices on the state and national levels.


Slide60: A. Major parties are the Democrats and Republicans and they have the best chance of winning. The Impact of Third Party on American Politics- Cont


Slide61: B. Minor parties may make valiant efforts but have virtually no chance of winning. The Impact of Third Party on American Politics- Cont


Slide62: C. It is possible, however, when conditions are right, for a third party to change the outcome of an election The Impact of Third Party on American Politics- End


The Historical Role of Third Parties : The Historical Role of Third Parties The principal role of such parties is not to win elections but to raise issues that the major parties fear or ignore. The Historical Role of Third Party-Cont


Slide64: A. Three factors usually explain the rise of a third party from obscurity to importance. 1. It must have a critical issue that can ignite an intense following. 2. It must have a galvanizing leader. 3. It must play its hand carefully because the deck is stacked against it. The Historical Role of Third Party-Cont


Slide65: B. Only Abraham Lincoln in 1860 rode a third party to the White House. The Historical Role of Third Party-End


Obstacles to Third Party Success : Obstacles to Third Party Success Election laws and rules were written by Democrats and Republicans to favor two-party dominance: A. Most election rules are state laws which make ballot access easy for the major parties and difficult for minor parties. Obstacles to Third Party Success-Cont


Slide67: B. Virtually all American elections are conducted in individual districts where the person getting the most votes, though not necessarily the majority, wins. Obstacles to Third Party Success-Cont


Slide68: C. Even higher hurdles exist for third-party candidates for the presidency; for example, they cannot participate in presidential debates unless their support in national polls is at least 15 percent Obstacles to Third Party Success-Cont


Slide69: D. If a third party does manage to overcome some or all of these obstacles and achieve a measure of support, one of both of the major parties usually adopts one or more of its key issues, thereby co-opting its base. Obstacles to Third Party Success-End


Third Parties in Recent Elections : Third Parties in Recent Elections The above patterns prevailed in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Presidential elections. A. A stagnant economy and unending budget deficits gave legitimacy to Ross Perot’s “can-do” leadership style but his withdrawal from and later re-entry into the race destroyed his chances of winning. He still got 19% of the vote, thereby giving Bill Clinton a plurality victory.


Slide71: B. When Perot ran again in 1996, his moment had passed but he still got 8 percent of the vote and both the Democrats and Republicans had done something about the economy and the deficits. Third Parties in Recent Elections-Cont


Slide72: C. The Greens’ candidate Ralph Nader probably cost Al Gore the election in 2000. Third Parties in Recent Elections-Cont


Slide73: D. The Greens denied Nader their nomination in 2004 so he decided to run as an independent but he had great difficulty in getting on the ballot in several states Third Parties in Recent Elections-Cont


Slide74: Third Parties in Recent Elections-End


The Future of Minor Parties in America : The Future of Minor Parties in America The odds are against third parties but developments are afoot that could provide for their continued growth. A. A “middle” party between a too-liberal Democratic Party and a too-conservative Republican Party is one possibility. B. The Green Party is another, if global warming and environmental degradation prove to be increasingly serious problems in the years ahead. END OF CHAPTER 7