Political PartiesPolitical Parties

And Election SystemsAnd Election Systems

Political Parties & DemocracyPolitical Parties & Democracy

In democracies, citizens organize their In democracies, citizens organize their political activity through political parties and political activity through political parties and the election process. the election process.

Parties develop out of our differences about Parties develop out of our differences about

how to achieve common goals. They are a how to achieve common goals. They are a natural product of a democratic and free natural product of a democratic and free society. society.

Purpose of PartiesPurpose of Parties

According to the text, the purpose is “to put According to the text, the purpose is “to put forward proposed leaders whom they forward proposed leaders whom they support for official positions in government.” support for official positions in government.”

Also, parties want to have an impact on Also, parties want to have an impact on public policy. They don’t simply want to win public policy. They don’t simply want to win office; they want to win office so that they office; they want to win office so that they can affect what decisions are made.can affect what decisions are made.

Purpose of PartiesPurpose of Parties

Even when they lose office, parties perform Even when they lose office, parties perform a useful role in a democracy, by organizing a useful role in a democracy, by organizing the opposition and offering alternatives.the opposition and offering alternatives.

Parties create important links between the Parties create important links between the voter, groups & government. To succeed, voter, groups & government. To succeed, they must build consensus.they must build consensus.

Party FunctionsParty Functions

1. they mobilize ordinary citizens, either to 1. they mobilize ordinary citizens, either to vote or to achieve some other political goal.vote or to achieve some other political goal.

2. they recruit and socialize leaders, even in 2. they recruit and socialize leaders, even in one-party states.one-party states.

3. they provide a long-lasting sense of party 3. they provide a long-lasting sense of party identification.identification.

Party FunctionsParty Functions

4. they can provide a means for party 4. they can provide a means for party leaders to control rank and file members.leaders to control rank and file members.

5. they provide links between:5. they provide links between:– Branches of government in a separation of Branches of government in a separation of

powers system.powers system.– Levels of government in a federal system.Levels of government in a federal system.– Citizens and government in all systems.Citizens and government in all systems.

Parties in Non-democraciesParties in Non-democracies

Functions may differ. They: Functions may differ. They: * mobilize support for the regime. * mobilize support for the regime. * recruit and train potential leaders.* recruit and train potential leaders.* oversee the bureaucracy. * oversee the bureaucracy. * spy on population (in totalitarian systems)* spy on population (in totalitarian systems)Not a link between the bottom and top, but a Not a link between the bottom and top, but a means of social control by the top over the means of social control by the top over the bottom.bottom.

Types of Party SystemsTypes of Party Systems

One-Party AuthoritarianOne-Party Authoritarian. . Government & party closely linked. No Government & party closely linked. No opposition parties permitted. opposition parties permitted.

Example:Example:– Communist Party in North KoreaCommunist Party in North Korea

Kim Il SungKim Il Sungof Northof NorthKoreaKorea

Types of Party SystemsTypes of Party Systems

Dominant Party SystemDominant Party System; one-party dominates for ; one-party dominates for long periods of time. No legal ban on other long periods of time. No legal ban on other parties, but only one party has chance to win parties, but only one party has chance to win office, and there may be informal harassment of office, and there may be informal harassment of opposition parties.opposition parties.

Examples:Examples:– PRI in Mexico until the 1990sPRI in Mexico until the 1990s– Japan until the 1990sJapan until the 1990s– SingaporeSingapore

Types of Party SystemsTypes of Party Systems

Two Party SystemTwo Party System. Either party has genuine . Either party has genuine chance to win office; elections truly competitive. chance to win office; elections truly competitive.

Additional parties not outlawed but have serious Additional parties not outlawed but have serious difficulty winning because of electoral system.difficulty winning because of electoral system.

Tend to be umbrella parties; tend to be stable.Tend to be umbrella parties; tend to be stable.

Disadvantage: Disadvantage: Voters limited to two choices.Voters limited to two choices.

Examples:Examples:– United States, Canada, Britain, New ZealandUnited States, Canada, Britain, New Zealand

Types of Party SystemsTypes of Party Systems

Multi-Party SystemMulti-Party System. Competitive elections . Competitive elections with multiple parties ensure that no one with multiple parties ensure that no one party can dominate for long. Parties tend to party can dominate for long. Parties tend to be more doctrinaire and distinctive, giving be more doctrinaire and distinctive, giving voters more choice. voters more choice.

By far the most common; see examples in By far the most common; see examples in text.text.

Types of Party SystemsTypes of Party Systems

In In Multi-party states, it’s difficult for any one Multi-party states, it’s difficult for any one party to win a majority. Coalitions with party to win a majority. Coalitions with similar parties become necessary. But similar parties become necessary. But coalition partners may resign over particular coalition partners may resign over particular government policies, so this system is less government policies, so this system is less stable.stable.Example of government instability:Example of government instability:Italy, from 1945 to 1995, had 44 different Italy, from 1945 to 1995, had 44 different coalition governments.coalition governments.

Example: Israeli Elections 2006Example: Israeli Elections 2006

March 2006March 2006Election outcome:Election outcome:Kadima PartyKadima Partywins the most with wins the most with 28 seats in the28 seats in theKnesset. The newKnesset. The newPrime Minister Olmert Prime Minister Olmert must form a coalition government.must form a coalition government.

Example: Israeli Elections 2006Example: Israeli Elections 2006

Winning partyWinning party:: Kadima: 28 seats, centrist Kadima: 28 seats, centristProbable partnersProbable partners::2. Labour: 20 seats, centre-left2. Labour: 20 seats, centre-leftPossible partnersPossible partners::3. Shas: 13 seats, ultra-orthodox3. Shas: 13 seats, ultra-orthodox4. Pensioners: 7 seats, single-issue4. Pensioners: 7 seats, single-issue5. Torah Judaism: 6 seats, ultra-orthodox5. Torah Judaism: 6 seats, ultra-orthodox6. Meretz: 4 seats, left-wing6. Meretz: 4 seats, left-wingUnlikely partnersUnlikely partners::7. Israel Beitenu: 12 seats, Russian emigres, far-right7. Israel Beitenu: 12 seats, Russian emigres, far-right8. Likud: 11 seats, right-wing8. Likud: 11 seats, right-wing9. Arab parties: 10 seats9. Arab parties: 10 seats10. National Union/Religious: 9 seats, far-right, settlers10. National Union/Religious: 9 seats, far-right, settlers

Elections & partiesElections & parties

Grigsby: “Election strategies are influenced Grigsby: “Election strategies are influenced heavily by election rules concerning the heavily by election rules concerning the counting of votes.” counting of votes.”

Election rules include: how votes are Election rules include: how votes are counted; if some seats are set aside for counted; if some seats are set aside for certain groups of voters, if any consideration certain groups of voters, if any consideration is given to a candidate who places a close is given to a candidate who places a close second. second.

The rules determine the party system.The rules determine the party system.

Types of Election SystemsTypes of Election Systems

Single Member Plurality (SMP)Single Member Plurality (SMP)The candidate who wins a plurality of the The candidate who wins a plurality of the vote prevails; a majority is not needed. Only vote prevails; a majority is not needed. Only one seat per district. No way for voters to one seat per district. No way for voters to designate their 2designate their 2ndnd choice. Tends to choice. Tends to produce a two-party system unless a small produce a two-party system unless a small party’s voters are concentrated in a district.party’s voters are concentrated in a district.

Used in the U.S., Canada, India, Britain, Used in the U.S., Canada, India, Britain, New ZealandNew Zealand, Germany., Germany.

Major U.S. Political PartiesMajor U.S. Political Parties

Republican National Party Republican National Party – http://www.rnc.org/http://www.rnc.org/

Democratic National Party Democratic National Party – http://www.democrats.org/http://www.democrats.org/

Minor U.S. Political PartiesMinor U.S. Political Parties

Scores of minor parties, among themScores of minor parties, among them:: Green PartyGreen Party

– http://http://www.gp.orgwww.gp.org//

Democratic Socialists of AmericaDemocratic Socialists of America– http://http://www.dsausa.org/dsa.htmlwww.dsausa.org/dsa.html

Libertarian PartyLibertarian Party– http://www.lp.org/http://www.lp.org/

Minor U.S. Political PartiesMinor U.S. Political Parties

Chance of winning statewide or national Chance of winning statewide or national office low. Why?office low. Why?

SMP system SMP system Electoral CollegeElectoral CollegePresidential candidates must win 270 electors Presidential candidates must win 270 electors

(out of 538) to win office. (out of 538) to win office. Example: Ross Perot & Reform Party in 1992 won Example: Ross Perot & Reform Party in 1992 won

19% of the popular vote but not one elector. 19% of the popular vote but not one elector.

Multi-Party Election SystemsMulti-Party Election Systems

Proportional RepresentationProportional Representation (PR). (PR).

Each district has multiple seats. Each Each district has multiple seats. Each political party wins the same proportion of political party wins the same proportion of seats as the vote it wins. seats as the vote it wins.

Favors the development of multiple political Favors the development of multiple political parties.parties.

SampleSample

ballot ifballot if

we usedwe used

PR for PR for

CongressCongress

Multi-Party Election Systems - Multi-Party Election Systems - ExampleExample

Assume the following vote distribution inAssume the following vote distribution in

a district with 10 parliamentary seats:a district with 10 parliamentary seats:

Quisenberry Party wins 50% Quisenberry Party wins 50%

Wiggins Party wins 30%Wiggins Party wins 30%

Baker Party wins 20%Baker Party wins 20%

How many seats does each party win?How many seats does each party win?

Multi-Party Election Systems - Multi-Party Election Systems - ExampleExample

Wiggins Party wins 50% Wiggins Party wins 50% Quisenberry Party wins 30%Quisenberry Party wins 30%Baker Party wins 20%Baker Party wins 20%

SO:SO:Wigginistas gain 5 seatsWigginistas gain 5 seatsQuisenberries win 3 seatsQuisenberries win 3 seatsBakerites gain 2 seatsBakerites gain 2 seats