Political Parties: Functions, History, and the Two-Party System

1. Chapter 9 Political Parties

2. What is a political party? • a group of activists who organize to win elections, to operate the government and to determine public policy

3. Functions of Political Parties in the U.S. • Recruiting candidates for public office • Organizing and running elections • Presenting alternative policies to the electorate • Accepting responsibility for operating the government • Acting as the organized opposition to the party in power

4. Parties in U.S. History • 1789-1812 – the creation of parties • 1816-1824 – the era of one party rule • 1828-1860 – two era of national two party rule • 1864-1892 – the post Civil War period • 1896-1928 – the Progressive era • 1932- present – the modern era

6. The Three Faces of Party • Party-in-the Electorate – members of the general public who identify with a political party or who express a preference for one party over the other • Party Organization – the formal structure and leadership of a political party, including election committees; local, state and national executives and paid professional staff • Party-in-Government – all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a political party

8. Why Do We Have a Two-Party System? • historical foundations of the system • sectional politics • class politics • self-perpetuation of parties • commonality of views among Americans • the winner-take all electoral system • state and federal laws favoring the two party system

9. Minor Parties in the U.S. • most successful minor parties have been splinter parties, parties that broke from a major party • Examples • Bull Moose Progressives (from the Republicans0 • the Dixiecrats (States Rights) Party (from the Democrats) • often, minor parties’ platforms are adopted by major parties • sometimes minor party candidates can have an impact on the outcome of an election