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Political Parties

Political Parties. What is a political party?. A political party is a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office. Political Party Functions.

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Political Parties

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  1. Political Parties

  2. What is a political party? A political party is a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office.

  3. Political Party Functions • Nominating candidates (egregious errors: M. D. Anderson, Sam Ervin, Don Yarborough, Leslie Perez) • Informing and activating supporters • Bonding agent-performs well in office • Governing –follow party positions (a/k/a partisanship (eg. expulsion of Phil Gramm from Democratic caucus in early 1980’s) • Watchdog – opponent’s job to criticize

  4. Reasons for a Two-Party System • Historical Basis • Force of Tradition • Electoral System • Single-member districts rather than at-large elections • American Ideological Consensus • pluralistic society (many cultures and groups) • consensus (general agreement on fundamental matters)

  5. Political Party Eras • Democrats, 1800-1860 • coalition of small farmers, pioneers and slave owners • strength in the South and West • Republicans, 1860-1932 • originated as an anti-slavery party • expanded to include business and African-Americans • Democrats, 1932-1968 • New Deal coalition of Southerners, farmers and labor • Divided Government, 1968-Present • Democrats lost control after deep divisions evident in 1968 Democratic convention

  6. Review Questions • A _____ is a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office. • Name two functions of political parties. (20 points each) • Name one reason for the development of a two-party system in the United States. • Which party dominated the national political system from 1932 to 1968?

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