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Political Parties

Political Parties. What is a political party?. A team of people seeking to control government by winning elected office. Three incarnations of party?. Party as Organization Office seekers Benefit seekers Party in the Electorate Democrats, Republicans, and Independents

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Political Parties

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  1. Political Parties

  2. What is a political party? • A team of people seeking to control government by winning elected office.

  3. Three incarnations of party? • Party as Organization • Office seekers • Benefit seekers • Party in the Electorate • Democrats, Republicans, and Independents • Party in Government • Party caucuses/conferences/Divided & unified government

  4. Why do we have political parties? What problems do they solve?

  5. Problems that political parties solve • Make legislating easier • Mobilize voters/Simplify voter decision-making • Regulate politicians’ ambition • Enforce collective responsibility

  6. Problems that political parties create • Can magnify and harden conflicts • Can oversimplify issues • Can seem to relieve citizens of hard work of self-education

  7. Electoral rules affect party strength • Parties as legislative coalitions 1788-1812 • The golden age of parties 1828-1912 • Declining parties/Rise of candidates 1912-1972 • Era of weak parties 1972-1994 • Homogeneous but diffuse parties 1994-2012…

  8. Parties as legislative coalitions • Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the first Congresses

  9. The golden age of parties 1828-1912 • Spoils system • No secret ballot • Politics as entertainment • Grass roots parties • High voter turnout

  10. Declining party strength: 1912-1972 • Australian ballot, secret ballot • Civil service reforms • Primary elections • Direct election of senators • Nonpartisan local elections • New Deal welfare state • More candidate-centered campaigns

  11. Era of weak parties 1972-1994 • TV • Campaign finance • Candidate centered elections • Rise in number of “independents” • Split ticket voting • Deep ideological divisions within parties • (Particularly the Democratic party!) • Weak party discipline in Congress

  12. Stronger parties? 1994-??? • Ideological realignment & polarization • Strong party discipline in Congress • Highly partisan, competitive presidential elections • Increased turnout • Parties act in coalitional environment

  13. Which side are you on? Democrats to the LEFT Republicans to the RIGHT

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