DandZ Chapter 7

Political Parties

Due Wednesday: Explorit 9

Definition:

A complex system under minimal legal regulation with respect to the nominating and electing process and composed of three distinct yet related elements: 1) the party-in-the-electorate; 2) the party organization; and 3) the party-in-government (public officials and those who seek to be). All of these elements may have conflicting interests and foci.

  1)  theoretically-- "What do the theories say about political parties?" 2)  empirically-- "What have social scientists discovered about parties? What can we discover about parties?" 3) comparatively-- "What are political parties  like in Ruritania?"   Theoretically
elite theory Political parties are part of the rituals of the American electoral system that tie the masses to the political system.  They are dominated by the elite and reflect elite values.

plural theory Political parties are an interest group like any other in a pluralist political system.  Their major objective is to get their members elected to office and to provide an incentive for participation in politics for activists. When there are not many parties, parties are coalitions of diverse interests.

democratic theory Political parties are one of the vehicles through which citizens exercise citizenship.  Must have a "responsible party system" in which: 1) elections provide meaningful choices 2) the candidates differ on the issues 3) citizens understand the differences between the candidate   Empirically
What evidence can be examined to test the competing theories?
What can we learn from MicroCase?
From other social scientists?
the history of party competition
the nature of partisan identifiers
the nature of the nomination process
the nature of campaigns

  Characteristics of the American Party System 1)  a two party system why only a two party system? no mention of parties in the Constitution historical persistence of initial form (American dualism) nature of the American electoral system piecemeal additions to the American electorate absence of ideology the consequence is an inability of third parties to rise and sustain success is there an advantage/ disadvantage to a two-party system? promotion of stability by sacrificing representation   2) nominally competitive at local and state level: there is little competition between the parties at the local level

slightly more at the state level one party usually dominates

at national level: approximately 75% of congressional districts are "safe" seats in presidential elections, the history has been one of the two parties dominates for a significant period of time Burnham's Theory of Critical Elections  

	party in power WINS	party in power LOSES
issues remain  THE SAME	MAINTAINING	DEVIATING
issues CHANGE	RECONFIRMING	REALIGNING

History of US Party Systems  

System	Period	Leading Parties	Events/Issues
1	1800-1824	Federalists Dem/Reps	Parties evolving/  Power of the national government
2	1824-1860	Whigs Democrats	Conventions/ Economic Issues Slavery Regional Conflict
3	1860-1896	Republicans Democrats	Urban machines and political bosses/ Reconstruction States' Rights
4	1896-1932	Republicans  Democrats	nonpartisan election weaking of congressional parties/ Regulation of big business
5	1932-1968?	Republicans  Democrats	Race/ Civil Rights Communism Vietnam Welfare state politics
6?	1968-present	Republicans Democrats	Economy Quality of Life

  3) decentralized American parties are stratarchical rather than hierarchical stratarchical=  perform all of the functions of political parties at each level   levels: 1) national 2) state 3) congressional 4) county 5) local functions: 1) recruit candidates for political office 2) mobilize voters 3) assist in campaigns 4) education of the electorate 5) system maintenance function (interest articulation/ legitimacy)     4) an absence of ideology         Comparatively American political parties are broad coalitions of diverse groups. They are often called "catch-all" parties.  In other countries with multi-party systems, political parties are far more well-defined, appealing to specific subsets of the population. party typology   Families of Parties Parties of the Left A) Communist parties derived from the CPSU ideology from Marx and Lenin Issue positions: 1) controlled economy 2) labor oriented 3) social justice 4) expansion of social services 5) democracy 6) environmental protection 7) nationalization   B) New Left Parties post-material/ environmental parties Issue positions: 1) environmental protection 2) curb economic growth through regulation 3) international peace and disarmament 4) social justice 5) women's rights 6) participatory democracy   C) Social Democratic Parties origins in working class and labor movements often work in concert with trade unions Issue positions: 1)  expansion of social services 2) social justice 3) economic goals 4) democracy 5) controlled economy 6) environmental protection 7) planning 8) decentralization of power   Parties of the Center and Right D) Agrarian Parties centrist parties that emphasize decentralization and environmentalism may also emphasize traditional values Issue Positions: 1)  social services to rural areas 2) decentralization 3) environmental protection 4)  private enterprise 5)  agriculture 6) defense of traditional morality 7)  private enterprise/ controlled economy mix       E) Liberal parties concern for individual rights/ anti-clerical stands economic laissez-faire Issue positions: 1)  private enterprise 2) individual rights 3) environmental protection 4) freedom 5) decentralization 6) social justice   F)  Secular Conservatives generally either nationalist parties, antitax parties or traditional conservative Issue positions: 1) private enterprise 2) government efficiency 3) law and order 4) traditional values 5) productivity and growth   G) Christian Democraic parties a general commitment to welfarism and defense of traditional values Issue positions: 1)  social service provision 2) taditional morality 3)  private enterprise 4) concern for non-economic groups 5)  freedom   H) Far Right parties conservative and xenophobic no positions other than being: anti-state anti-foreigner pro-military