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Topic 1 Political Parties

Topic 1 Political Parties. Political Parties. Part 1: Political Spectrum / Ideologies Part 2: Political Parties & the 2-Party System Part 3: Minor Parties Part 4: Party Organization / Grassroots Movements. Part 1: Political Spectrum / Ideologies. What is an ideology?

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Topic 1 Political Parties

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  1. Topic 1Political Parties

  2. Political Parties • Part 1: Political Spectrum / Ideologies • Part 2: Political Parties & the 2-Party System • Part 3: Minor Parties • Part 4: Party Organization / Grassroots Movements

  3. Part 1: Political Spectrum / Ideologies • What is an ideology? • What is the political spectrum? • Where does each party lie on the spectrum? • What are some examples of the different ideological viewpoints towards issues? • Which side do you lean towards? Why?

  4. What is an “Ideology” • A set of specific ideas, attitudes and beliefs • Provides or advocates a coherent plan for social, political, or economic action

  5. Left and Right: The Political Spectrum Left Wing Def. - term used to refer to the differences in ideology between major political parties Right Wing Conservatism Liberalism Centrism Republican Party Democratic Party

  6. Liberals The following classifications are general and do not apply to all liberals or conservatives. • Liberals believe the government should: • achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. • alleviate social ills and protect civil rights and liberties.   • guarantee that no one is in need.  • Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve people's problems.

  7. Conservatives • Conservatives believe in: • limited government • free markets (gov’t role in economy is limited) • individual liberty • traditional American values • a strong national defense • Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems on their own.

  8. Examples Conservatism Liberalism Centrism • More traditional, less apt to change • Government should step in and shape many social issues (pro-life, anti-gay marriage) • Less tax money spent on social programs • More forceful approach to foreign policy • More apt to change society • More freedom regarding many social issues (pro-choice, gay rights) • Fund social programs with taxes (welfare, social security) • More diplomatic approach to foreign policy

  9. Part 2: Political Parties and the Two-Party System • What is a political party? • What are the functions of political parties? • Why do we have a two-party system? • How do multiparty and one-party systems function and what are their influences on government? • What membership characteristics do American parties have?

  10. What Is a Party? • Apolitical partyis a group of persons who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office. • Parties can be • principle-oriented • issue-oriented • election-oriented The American parties are primarily election-oriented

  11. What Do Parties Do? • Nominate Candidates - Recruit, choose, and present candidates for public office. • Inform and Activate Supporters—Campaign, define issues, and criticize other candidates. • Act as a Bonding Agent—Guarantee that their candidate is worthy of the office.

  12. What Do Parties Do? • Govern—Members of government act according to their partisanship, or firm allegiance to a party. • Act as a Watchdog—Parties that are out of power keep a close eye on the actions of the party in powerfor a blunder to use against them in the next election.

  13. Why a Two-Party System? • The Historical Basis. The nation started out with two-parties: the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. • The Force of Tradition. America has a two-party systembecause it always has had one. Minor parties, lacking wide political support, have never made a successful showing, so people are reluctant to support them.

  14. Why a Two-Party System? • The Electoral System. Certain features of government, such as single-member districts, are designed to favor two major parties. • Ideological Consensus. Most Americans have a general agreement on fundamental matters. Conditions that would spark several strong rival parties do not exist in the United States.

  15. Multiparty Systems Disadvantages • Cause parties to form coalitions, which can dissolve easily. • Failure of coalitions can cause instability in government. Advantages • Provides broader representation of the people. • More responsive to the will of the people. • Give voters more choices at the polls.

  16. One-Party Systems Types of One-Party Systems Modified One-Party Systems where one party regularly wins most elections One Party Systems where only one party is allowed. Example: Dictatorships such as Stalinist Russia Example: Republican North and Democratic South until the 1950s.

  17. Party Membership Patterns Factors that can influence party membership: • Family • Occupation • Economic Status • Religion • Major Events • Age

  18. Part 3: Minor Parties • What types of minor parties have been active in politics? • Why are minor parties important even though they seldom win? • What are some drawbacks of minor parties?

  19. Minor Parties in the United States Types of Minor Parties Splinter Party Example: “Bull Moose” Progressive Party Economic Protest Parties Example: The Greenback Party Ideological Parties Example: Libtertarian Party Single-issue Parties Example: Free Soil Party

  20. Minor Parties in the United States

  21. Why Minor Parties Are Important? “Spoiler Role” • They can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates. Critic • Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that major parties ignore. Innovator • Minor parties often provide innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are integrated into major party platforms.

  22. Part 4: Party Organization • Why do the major parties have a decentralized structure? • How does the national, state and local party machinery operate? • What are the three components of the parties? • What are grassroots campaigns and how are they conducted?

  23. The Decentralized Nature of the Parties Both of the major parties are highly decentralized and fragmented. Why? • Party out of power lacks a strong leader. • Federal system distributes powers widely, causing party decentralization. • Nominating process pits party members against one another.

  24. State and Local Party Machinery • State and local party organization varies from State to State, but usually follow these general principles.

  25. The Three Components of the Party Party Components The Party Organization: Those who run and control the party machinery. The Party in the Electorate Those who always or almost always vote for party candidates. The Party in Government Those who hold office in the government.

  26. Grassroots Mobilization • Political movement organized and implemented mostly at local level • Depends heavily on local involvement and volunteers

  27. Grassroots Procedures http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/actionguide

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