Types of Political Party Systems

1. Types of Political Party Systems

2. Multi � Party Systems A system in which several major and minor parties exist to seriously compete for, and actually win public offices A part of European politics for a long time� Based on a particular interest, such as economic class, religious belief, or political ideology

3. Multi � Party Systems Some say this would provide a base for broader representation of the electorate and be more responsive to the people It often leads to instability in government� One party is often unable to win support of a majority of voters Therefore the power to govern must be shared by a number of parties or a coalition

4. Multi � Party Systems A coalition is a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and to control a government Coalitions experience frequent changes in leadership Sometimes government leaders change every year in a coalition government

5. One-Party System Usually found in a dictatorship, where only one political party is found� The resulting one-party system is really a �no-party system�

6. Political Party A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office by supplying them with a label 1. also known as a �party identification� 2. this is the way both the party and the candidate are known to the electorate 3. The definition of the label is purposefully broad, so that many different ones will fit

7. American Political Parties Oldest in the world Are in decline, but are not dead yet� Parties today are weak mainly because of the laws and rules by which they operate� Voters have lost their sense of party commitment to party identification Decentralization � parties are strong in some places, but weak in others�

8. Political Party A powerful party is: one whose label has strong appeal for the voters Organization can decide who the candidates will be Decide how the campaigns will be managed Decide whose leaders will dominate one or all of the branches

9. Party Label Weaker today than in the 19th century In 1946, 36% of American voters identified themselves with one political party In 2004, 33% identified with one party or another In 1946, 23% identified themselves as independents, today that number is 39%

10. Reasons for change Parties have become less centralized and less important to the voter Government has become more centralized�making decisions affecting almost all aspects of our lives This makes parties seem even weaker.

11. Political Culture In this country, we tend to keep parties separate from other aspects of our lives. We may be excited about a candidate or a campaign, but once the election is over, we tend to put that party and its goals out of our minds�

12. Rise and Decline of the Party Federalists Founded by Alexander Hamilton Seen as supporters of the Constitution Supporters of a strong national government Ceased to exist after election of 1800 Democratic-Republicans Founded by Thomas Jefferson Seen as opposing the strength of the national government Were really in opposition to Hamilton�s policies, not the government

13. Federalists/ Democratic Republicans Federalists � loose constructionists Democratic Republicans � strict constructionists Republicans looked upon their party as a temporary measure put in place to defeat Federalist John Adams in the election of 1796 The election of 1800, and Adams renewed candidacy, urged the Republicans on even more�

14. �Republicans� After the federalist loss in 1800, they ceased to exist as a party� Many thought the Republicans under Jefferson would cease to exist as well, but not so� Republicans went on to win the elections of 1804, 1808, 1812, 1816, 1820 It looked as though political parties had ceased to exist because there was no opposition to Jefferson�s party�

15. Facts about the First Political Parties Both parties were a first, so there was no long-term loyalty to either First political leaders did not think of themselves as professional politicians� Parties in the early years were small groups of local notables� Local political participation was limited.

16. Jacksonian Democracy The second Party system began to emerge in 1824 with candidate Andrew Jackson It lasted until the Civil War Political participation became a mass phenomenon�

17. Increased voter Participation Laws changed to allow more people to participate� Voter rolls went from 365,000 in 1824 to over a million voters in 1828

18. Increased Voter Participation Presidential politics had become a popular national activity� Many viewed the elections as the public spectacle�maybe they weren�t far from wrong!

19. Jacksonian Politics Jackson supporters built the party from the bottom up�rather than from the top down, as the Founders had done. Gone was the system of Presidential caucuses which nominated candidates� The Election of 1824 proved to be the beginning of the end to political parties as the Founding Fathers knew them�

20. Jacksonian Politics Jackson v. John Quincy Adams Henry Clay �Corrupt Bargain�

21. Jacksonian Politics The party convention was invented. The first was held by the Anti-Masonic Party in 1831 Also a convention of Anti-Jackson Republicans held a convention Democrats renominated Jackson in 1832�

22. Jacksonian Politics Convention system was first developed as a part of a political reform movement It was a way of allowing for some local control over the nominating process We are the only nation to use this process

23. Civil War & Sectionalism Two party system was firmly in place Democrats � followers of Jackson Whigs � opponents of Jackson Republican Party began as a third party during this time�

24. Civil War & Sectionalism Both major parties were split over the issue of slavery Both were afraid of a loss of their support base for taking the �wrong option� in this debate The new Republican Party developed as a solution to the lack of action taken on the issue of slavery, with candidates in 1856 and 1860

25. Republican Party The Election of 1860 began a rarely interrupted time in office�for the party Republican control of Congress and the White House was the result of two events: The Civil War � this event polarized popular attitudes. Union supporters � lifelong Republicans. Confederate supporters � Democrats. States became �one=party� states.