Political Science Notes Chapter 7 03 25 2014 Topic 6 Political Parties I The General Nature of Political Parties A Definition 1 Organization that nominates and runs candidates for office under party label to win governmental offices and enact policies favored by the party 2 Are parties a type of interest group No B Differences between Political Parties and Interest Groups 1 The method of influencing politics most important difference a Parties nominate and run candidates for office under the party label b Interest groups do not run candidates for office i Influence politics in other ways lobbying ii Active during elections and between elections 2 Breadth and scope of issue concerns a Parties take positions on a broad range of issues to appeal to voters b Interest groups narrow range of issues of concern to their members 3 Quasi public vs Private organizations a Parties Quasi public i Not part of government ii But can t prohibit citizens from participating in party activities iii Because party primaries select nominees for general election action of the party is action of the state Smith v Allwright 1944 b Interest groups private organizations i Set whatever membership requirements they want C Membership in American Political Parties 1 No formal party membership in the US 2 Define political party as three overlapping elements V O Key 1964 a Party in the electorate i Ordinary citizens who identify with a party and usually support the party s candidates with their votes and campaign contributions b Party in government i Those who hold elected and appointed government offices who are considered representatives of the party c Party organization i Party professionals who hold official party offices ex convention delegates ii Party activists ex financial donors and unpaid volunteers II Functions of Political Parties A Facilitate participation in the democratic process 1 Aggregate individual interests into broad coalitions 2 Simplify alternatives a Each party winnows a long list of candidates down to one nominee b Only viable alternatives in the general election two major party candidates c Considerable voter dissatisfaction Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum Vote for the man not the party d Would democracy would work better if voters had more choices in the election i Increase costs of voting requires lots of information about issues and candidates ii Few voters have enough information to distinguish among many candidates iii Most voters know differences between Democrats and Republicans iv Information necessary to make the right choice printed on ballot e Makes it possible for millions of citizens to cast meaningful votes 3 Stimulate interest in government and public affairs a Participation necessary for democracy to work b Party activities mobilizes voters B Agents of accountability 1 Organize government and promotes policy agenda 2 Minority party scrutinizes activities of majority party III How Strong are Political Parties in the U S A U S Parties Week Compared to Those in Parliamentary Democracies 1 Responsible Party Government Model e g Great Britain a Highly disciplined parties present coherent platforms to the electorate b High cohesion All party candidates support their party platform c Voters choose which party s platform they prefer d Winning party enacts proposed policies e Voters decide whether they like what government has done in the next election 2 U S Parties Do NOT Fit This Model a U S Parties ideologically diverse no consensus on party positions b Relatively low party cohesion c Party nominees chosen in direct primaries not by party leaders d Government structure make is difficult for majority party to enact programs i Separation of powers ii Representatives chosen by different constituencies iii Overlapping terms iv Divided government B Strength of Partisanship in U S Politics Varies Over Time 1 Party decline thesis a Some argue that parties have been getting weaker since the 1950s b Rest on several pieces of evidence i Electorate s attachment to political parties has weakened ii Rise of candidate centered campaigns iii Party voting in Congress occurs less frequently than it once did iv Party organizations cannot determine who runs under the party s label 2 Other Scholars disagree a Parties have weakened but still a pervasive influence in U S politics b How strong parties are depends on i Which element you loot at and ii At what point in time you look c Present evidence that i Party decline trend reached a low point in the 1970s but then reversed ii Party in the electorate and party in government show signs of increasing strength from the 1980s to the present C Strength of Party in the Electorate 1 Measures a Party identification i Generally speaking do you usually think of yourself as a Republican a Democrat an Independent or what ii if R or D Would you call yourself a strong R D or a not very strong R D iii if Ind Do you think of yourself as closer to the R or D party referred to as Independent Leaners iv 7 point scale SD WD ID I IR WR SR v More strong partisans fewer independents stronger partisanship b Vote choice consistent support for party candidates 2 Strong Partisans in the Electorate Figure 7 3 3 Independents Figure 7 4 a Where to put the leaners b Independent leaners vote as partisan as weak partisans 4 Straight Ticket Voting Figure 7 5 D Strength of Party in Government 1 Measures a Divided Government i One party wins the president other party wins majority seats in Congress ii If voters choose different parties for different offices it s hard to determine which party should get credit or blame for government policies b Party voting in Congress i Percentage of party votes in Congress ii Party vote Majority of one party vote against a majority of the other party 2 Divided Government Figure 7 6 a Relation to party strength is ambiguous b Alternative interpretation Two strong parties but at different levels E Strength of Party Organization 1 Political machines a Strong party organizations led by a party boss i Party boss decided who was nominated for various offices ii Ward captains mobilized voters to support party slate in their ward iii Spoils system Used political patronage to reward supporters with government jobs and contracts iv Widespread corruption vote buying illegal votes kick backs b Political reforms adopted in early 1900s weakened party machines i Merit system direct primary secrete ballot ii Party leaders lost both carrot and stick iii Government