Political Parties

Question 1

What is a political party?

Answer 1

a group of citizens who organize to…

1. win elections
2. hold public offices
3. operate the govt
4. determine public policy

Question 2

Are party organizations independent?

Answer 2

yes and not centrally controlled

Question 3

functions of parties

Answer 3

1. recruiting and nominating candidates for public office
2. running political campaigns
3. articulating positions on issues
4. critiquing the policies of the party in power
5. serving as a linking institution that connects citizens to govt

Question 4

A party connects citizens to govt by…

Answer 4

1. providing info about candidates running for office
2. mobilizing voters to elect party candidates
3. raising funds to support party candidates

Question 5

One-party system

Answer 5

• total control over govt

- China, North Korea, and Iran

Question 6

Multiparty system

Answer 6

• a number of political parties compete for public offices
• widely different ideologies
• France, Italy, and Israel

Question 7

Two-party systems

Answer 7

• two major political parties compete for office

- US, UK, India, and Jamaica

Question 8

core political values:

Answer 8

• freedom, political equality, individualism, and equality under the law
• never a strong socialist party dedicated to creating an entirely new political system
• moderates who fall between liberal and conservative

Question 9

single-member districts

Answer 9

• one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot
• candidate who receives the most votes
• dominated by two political parties

Question 10

plurality vs. majority election

Answer 10

plurality: winner - person who receive most votes
majority: winner - the person who receives more than half of all votes cast

Question 11

winner-take-all, single-member district plurality vs. proportional

Answer 11

proportional: each party awarded legislative seats in proportion to vote it receives (state with congressional seats: 20% of votes = 2 seats)
winner-take-all: no seats

Question 12

Why does a winner-take-all discourage the emergence of minor parties?

Answer 12

forces them to wagger expensive campaigns with a minimal chance of winning political offices

Question 13

legal barriers to third parties

Answer 13

• names of Democratic and Republican candidates are placed on state ballots
• minor party candidates must persuade registered voters to sign petitions in order to have their names placed on the ballot

Question 14

force of historic tradition

Answer 14

• two-party system since 1800

- two-party system has self-perpetuating law and traditions, so very difficult for minor party to rise

Question 15

force of historic tradition

Answer 15

• two-party system since 1800

- two-party system has self-perpetuating law and traditions, so very difficult for minor party to rise

Question 16

party era

Answer 16

historical periods dominated by one party

Question 17

critical election

Answer 17

• national crisis forces voters to confront divisive issues that fracture party coalitions
• significant groups of voters change their traditional patterns of party loyalty

Question 18

party realignment

Answer 18

• triggered by a critical election

- majority party is displaced by the minority party, ushering in a new party era

Question 19

first party system (1796-1824)

Answer 19

Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans
Federalists: Alexander Hamilton, strong federal govt and national bank, coalition: financial, commercial, and manufacturing interests
Democratic-Republicans: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, limited federal govt and opposed national bank, coalition: farmers, shopkeepers, laborers, and planters

Question 20

Jackson and the Democrats (1828-1856)

Answer 20

Democratic Party vs. Whigs
Democratic party: supported voting rights for all white males, opposed national bank, used the spoils system to reward party loyalists, Andrew Jackson, coalition: debtors, frontier pioneers, and small farmers
Whigs: Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, supported high tariffs and national bank, coalition: bankers, merchants, industrialists, and owners of large plantations (only presidents: Harrison and Taylor)

Question 21

Republican Era (1860-1928)

Answer 21

• issue of slavery dominated 1850’s and led to demise of Whigs
• Republicans vs. Democrats
• Republicans = leading party until Depression, antislavery party, Lincoln - only transition from minor to major party
• 1896 - Bryan (Democrat with coalition of farmers and labor unions), advocated free silver and regulations to control railroads vs. McKinley (coalition of industrialists, financial monopolies, and small businesspeople), backed gold standard, high tariffs, and industrialization

Question 22

FDR and the New Deal Coalition (1932-1964)

Answer 22

-FDR advocated a program of relief from Great Depression, recovery, and reform known as the New Deal

Question 23

New Deal coalition:

Answer 23

• urban dwellers
• labor unions
• Catholics and Jews
• Southerners
• African Americans
• urban dwellers and African Americans previously Republican
• did not include Northern business leaders and wealthy industrialists

Question 24

Divided govt (1968 - present)

Answer 24

election of Nixon marked Republican dominance in presidential politics

Question 25

Divided govt (1968 - present)

Answer 25

-election of Nixon marked Republican dominance in presidential politics

Question 26

"Southern strategy"

Answer 26

- designed to break Democrats' long dominance in the South | - occurred as Southern conservatives transferred their loyalty to Republicans (2008 - majority in Senate)

Question 27

Divided govt (1968 - present)

Answer 27

- election of Nixon marked Republican dominance in presidential politics - house/senate different dominant party than presidency

Question 28

"Southern strategy"

Answer 28

- designed to break Democrats' long dominance in the South | - occurred as Southern conservatives transferred their loyalty to Republicans (2008 - majority in Senate)

Question 29

consequences of divided govt:

Answer 29

1. heightened partisanship and make it more difficult for moderates to negotiate compromises 2. slowed both the confirmation and the legislative processes, thus creating gridlock 3. increased public frustration, thus contributing to the decline in trust and confidence in govt

Question 30

party dealignment

Answer 30

disengagement of people from political parties; more independents

Question 31

types of minor parties

Answer 31

1. dominated by charismatic leaders 2. organized around a single issue 3. organized around an ideology

Question 32

parties dominated by charismatic leaders

Answer 32

- Theo Roosevelt "Bull Moose"/Progressive party split Republicans, thus enabling the Democrats to capture the White House - George Wallace's American Independent Party expressed Southern backlash to civil rights demonstrations, urban riots, and antiwar protests - Ross Perot's presidential campaigns expressed widespread public outrage at "politics as usual"

Question 33

Parties organized around a single issue

Answer 33

1. Free Soil Party opposed the spread of slavery 2. The Know Nothings opposed Irish-Catholic immigration 3. Right to Life Party opposes abortion

Question 34

Parties organized around an ideology

Answer 34

- Socialist Party supported labor unions and advocated new laws to regulate big businesses - Libertarian Party emphasizes individualism and a reduction of govt programs

Question 35

obstacles to minor party candidates

Answer 35

- winner-take-all format of the electoral college (ex- Perot won 19% overall vote, but not a single electoral vote) - single-member districts = no seats in Congress - excluded from presidential debates

Question 36

importance and impact of minor parties

Answer 36

- strong views on controversial issues - push major parties to adopt their ideas - "spoiler role" by affecting the outcome of a presidential election (ex- pulled critical support from democratic party in 2000 election)