Political Parties

Role of Political Parties in a Democracy What is a political party? Why are parties essential to democracy?

Keep elected officials responsive Stimulate political interest Ensure accountability Help people make sense of complexity in politics Make government work They facilitate majority rule

American Two-Party System Why a Two-Party System? Role of Minor Parties in the Two-Party

System Shifts in the American Two-Party System

TABLE 9.1: Major political parties in American history

Why a Two-Party System?

Proportional representation (PR) v. SMDP Seats apportioned by percentage of vote

Winner-take-all First past the post Incentives v. disincentives for small parties Cabinet v. president

9.2Why a Two-Party System?

Restrictions on minor parties Ballot access requirements differ by state Signatures required to get on ballot 5% minimum for federal funding Not reimbursed until after election

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It’s all about the Electoral College

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9.2Role of Minor Parties in the Two-Party System Becoming less important Types of minor parties

Protest parties Ideological parties Single-issue parties Splinter parties

Splitting the vote

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Party realignments 30-40 years of one party dominance Then voting coalitions shift

9.2Shifts in the American Two-Party System

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9.2FIGURE 9.1: Timeline: Party eras in the United States

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New Deal party era

Shifts in the American Two-Party System

FDR adds to his coalition

Dealignment era Divided government

Parties at war era Emotional appeals to base Closely divided elections Absence of bipartisanship

Shifts in the American Two-Party System

Partisanship at the boiling point

The Democratic and Republican Parties Today Parties as Organizations Party Ideologies Parties in Government and in the

Electorate

FIGURE 9.2: Political party organization in the United States

Parties as Organizations

Party membership Party identification is everything Core supporters make up party base

Not hierarchical chain of command Loose organization

Parties as Organizations Party organizations as candidate-

centered Voters and donors have control

Party conventions Meet every four years Nominate presidential and VP candidates Write party platform

National party committees Conduct party business between conventions Campaign service organizations

Parties as Organizations Congressional campaign committees

Raise money, conduct research, provide media services, encourage candidates

Controlled by party members in Congress Highly professionalized and well funded

State party organizations Relatively independent

Associated interest and advocacy groups Push parties apart on policy and ideology

FIGURE 9.3: Party identification and ideology, 2013

Ideology and party in public perceptions Increasing public perception of differences

Ideology and policies in party platforms Differences in rhetoric

Ideologies of party activists More extreme

Divisions within the parties Economic/social issue split

9.3Party Ideologies

Parties in Government and in the Electorate Government

Unified government bridges separation of powers, checks and balances

Divided government leads to gridlock Electorate

Independents Active partisans Leaners

9.3

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FIGURE 9.4: Trends in party identification

9.3

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Discussion Questions

Why does the United States have a two-party system when most democratic countries have multiple parties? What role do parties serve in a democracy?