1Activists Overview• How active is the American public• Reasons for becoming an activist• What are the characteristics of activists• New model of party activistsTrends in Level of Activism• American National Election Studies (NES)– http://www.umich.edu/~nes• The NES Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral BehaviorReasons for Activism• Tangible or material incentives– Patronage– Elective office seekers– Job contacts• Social (Solidary) incentives– Meet new people– Sustain old friendships– Hobby2Reasons for Activism• Policy advocates (Purposive)– Issue or ideology– Group advancement• Family socialization• Overall pattern– Multiple reasons– Policy most frequent– Reasons vary by time and localityRecruitment of Activists• Recruited by others• Self recruitmentCharacteristics of Activists• Family history• Higher social economic status• Demographic traits linked to party• More opinionated• Slightly more extreme in opinions– Table source: John G. Green, John S. Jackson and Nancy L. Clayton, “Issue Networks and Party Elites in 1996,” in The State of the Parties, 3rd edition, ed. John C. Green and Daniel M. Shea (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999).010203040506070V. Liberal Liberal Moderate Conserv. V. ConservDelegates Donors Voters Nonvoters010203040506070V. Lib Liberal Moderate Conse rv. V. Conse rv.DemocratsRepublicans3New Party Activism• Parties as networks of issue-oriented activists • Reasons– Rise of cultural issues– Higher levels of education– Decline in patronage– Changes in party rulesNew Party Activism• Interest group involvement with parties– Recruitment of interest group members to be delegates– Recruitment of interest group members to be active in local partyNew Party Activism• Consequences– Increasing ideological polarization of parties– Ideologues less willing to compromise– Tension between activists and voters– Parties and candidates seen as too close to interest groupsSummary• Activists small group of Americans• Involved with parties for variety of reasons• Dissimilar from other Americans– Background– Opinions• New party activism centered on