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The Role of Political Parties
n Build Stable Legislative and Electoral
Alliances
n Mobilize Voters
n Use Party Labels to Enforce
Collective Responsibility
n Party labels help distinguish the
candidates
Party Differences
n Democrats
n Pro-choice n Gun control n Liberal n Government involvement
n Republicans
n Pro-life n Anti-gun control n Conservative n Limit Government involvement
U.S. Parties vs. European
Parties
n United States
n Primaries, party has less role n Candidate runs campaign n Elected officials often vote against party line n Citizens vote more on issues & candidate personality
n Europe
n Party selects candidates n Party runs campaign n Elected officials vote party line
n Citizens vote based on party labels
Basic Features of the U.S. Party
System
n Two-Party Competition
n Originated in the first Congress
n Wasted Vote Syndrome
n Consume Third Party Issues
n Proportional Representation
n Decentralized, Fragmented Party
Coalitions
n Party supports President, divisions at local level
n Professional Politicians
n Plurality/Winner-take-all
DEVELOPMENT & EVOLUTION
OF THE PARTY SYSTEMS
First Party System: The Founding
n Two Party System
n First Two Parties
n Federalists (Hamilton)
n Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson &
Madison)
n Local Influence
n End of the Federalist Party
Fifth Party System: (1932-Present)
n Party line voting declined, and ticket
splitting increased
n Rise in Divided Government – When one party holds the Presidency and the other party holds power in Congress
n Voters become more indifferent to the
parties
n Electorate became more volatile
n Caused by rapid migration in the society
n Increase in third parties
National Party Structure
n National Convention
n Every 4 years
n Purpose
- Select presidential nominee
- Write party platform
n National Committee
n Purpose
- Run general operations of the party
- Raise money
- Help candidates
National Party Structure,
continued
n National Chairperson
n Purpose
- Run day-to-day operations
Local Level Organization
n The Machine
n Party Machine
n Ideological Parties
n Parties based around values
n Solidarity Groups
n People participate in politics for the
social elements
Local Level Organization,
continued
n Sponsored Parties
n A group sponsors a party
n Personal Following
n A candidate’s personal characteristics
