political parties. role of political parties in a democracy what is a political party? why are...
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American Two-Party System Why a Two-Party System? Role of Minor Parties in the Two-Party System Shifts in the American Two-Party SystemTRANSCRIPT
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?