United States Political Parties

What Is A Political Party?

An organized group of people with similar political aims

and opinions, that seeks to influence public policy by
getting its candidates elected to public office.
 What Do Political Parties Do?
Main tasks are….
– Soliciting and articulating public policy priorities and
civic needs and problems as identified by members
and supporters
– Socializing and educating voters and citizens in the
functioning of the political and electoral system and
the generation of general political values
– Activating and mobilizing citizens into participating in
political decisions and transforming their opinions into
viable policy options
– Channeling public opinion from citizens to
government
– Recruiting and training candidates for public office
 Political Party Systems
• 3 Political Party Systems in the World
1.) One Party System: Political party and the government
are the SAME
• Only 1 party, so no competing ideas
• Party membership based on lineage, wealth, military
power, religious power
• Example: China (Communist Party)
 Political Party Systems
2.) Multi-Party System: Three or more parties compete for
control of the government
– Common in Europe, Israel, Japan
– Advantage: provides voters with many different choices and ideas
– Disadvantage: difficult for one party to get majority of votes,
which leads to a Coalition:
EXAMPLE – Italy (50 different govts. since WWII)
 Multi-Party Systems
• Country: # of parties represented in
legislature
– Australia: 7
– Denmark:11
– Germany: 5
– Guatemala: 11
– Iceland: 5
– Israel: 12
– Turkey: 4
 Political Party Systems
3. Two-Party System: Two parties compete with each other to
run the government.
– Party system of U.S.: Democrats and Republicans
– Advantages: Continuity
– Disadvantages: Minority parties (third parties) receive
little attention – focus is on two main parties
 Two Party System
• We have relied on the two party system
since the inception of the Federalists
(Alexander Hamilton) and the Democratic
Republicans (Thomas Jefferson)
 Third Parties
• What are Third Parties?
– Parties representing minority opinions that challenge the
Democrats and Republicans
– Some successful Third Parties:
• Populist Party – 1890’s
• Progressive Party – split off from Rep. Part in 1912
• Libertarian Party – third most popular party in U.S. today
 Third Parties
• 3 Kinds of Third Parties
– 1. Parties Tied to a Single Issue:
Examples:
 Prohibition Party: formed in 1872 to support banning of
alcohol in the U.S.
 U.S. Marijuana Party: formed to support the legalization of
marijuana in the U.S.
 Green Party: formed to protect the environment
 Third Parties
• 3 Kinds of Third Parties
– 2. Parties Tied to a Political Belief
Examples:
 Libertarian Party
 The Third Party
 Socialist Parties
 Third Parties
• 3 Kinds of Third Parties
– 3. Parties Tied to a Single Candidate
Examples:
 Reform Party – formed around Presidential candidate Ross
Perot in 1996
 American Independent Party – formed around Presidential
candidate George Wallace in 1968
 U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings

• George Washington against political parties

 “parties serve their own interests”
 “parties not beneficial to American people”

• Parties formed after his exit:

1. Anti-Federalists (Democratic-Republicans)
2. Federalists
 U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• Anti-Federalists
– Democratic-Republicans
 Supported states rights
 Supported economy based on
agriculture
 Power in hands of all people
 Led by Thomas Jefferson
 U.S. Political Parties:
Beginnings
• Federalists
 Supported strong
national government
 Supported economy
based on industry
 Power in hands of
wealthy and educated
 Led by Alexander
Hamilton
 In the beginning…
• Federalist Paper #10
– James Madison recognized the dangers
inherent with factions (parties)
– but understood them to be inevitable and
more controllable if housed within the
apparatus of existing government
 In the beginning…
• Ratifying the • Original parties
Constitution – Federalists
– Federalists • Strong central govt
• strong central govt • National bank
• Hamilton, Madison • Adams, Hamilton
– Anti-Federalists
• Stronger state govts
– Democratic-
• Jefferson, Lee Republicans
• Stronger state govts
• Jefferson, Madison
 Two-party system
• Neither lasted long
• Oldest continuous political party:
Democrats
– Started in 1820s
– 1st POTUS: Andrew Jackson
• Second oldest continuous political party:
Republicans
– Started in 1850s after split of Whig Party
– Founded as the anti-slavery party
– 1st POTUS: Abraham Lincoln
 Political Parties, Historically
• Republicans ruled the White House from
Lincoln to Wilson
– North voted Republican for anti-slavery then
switched to Democrat with New Deal
– South voted Democrat until New Deal and
then became Republican with the expansion
of govt
• Most Black Americans voted Republican
until New Deal (Election of 1936), and
have since remained Democrats (today,
almost 90% are still dems)
 U.S. Political Parties:
Characteristics
The Democratic Party
“Democrats believe that we're greater together
than we are on our own—that this country
succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, when
everyone does their fair share, when everyone
plays by the same rules. Our party, led by
President Obama, is focused on building an
economy that lasts—an economy that lifts up all
Americans.”
 U.S. Political Parties:
Characteristics
• Democratic Party
– Tends to Attract
Working people (blue
collar)
Liberals
Minorities
Union Members
People in favor of
government
involvement in social
policies
 U.S. Political Parties:
Characteristics
The Republican Party (The GOP)

“The pursuit of opportunity has defined America

from our very beginning. This is a land of
opportunity. The American Dream is a dream of
equal opportunity for all. And the Republican
Party is the party of opportunity.”
 U.S. Political Parties:
Characteristics
• Republican Party
– Tends to attract
Business people
(white collar)
Religious
Conservatives
Non-minorities
Non-union supporters
People against
government
involvement in social
policies