political parties and ideology what is a party? political party – people who seek to control...

Political Parties and Political Parties and IdeologyIdeology

What is a Party?What is a Party?

Political Party – people who Political Party – people who seek to control government seek to control government through the winning of through the winning of elections elections

Major Party – a party that Major Party – a party that wins control of governmentwins control of government

Major PartiesMajor Parties

There are two major parties There are two major parties in the U.S. Can you name in the U.S. Can you name them?them?

What is Ideology?What is Ideology?

Ideology is basically the way you Ideology is basically the way you look at how the world workslook at how the world works

There are two major ideologies There are two major ideologies in the United Statesin the United States– LiberalLiberal– ConservativeConservative

Liberal and ConservativeLiberal and Conservative

You can mix the two to form You can mix the two to form your own individual ideologyyour own individual ideology


Common Liberal CharacteristicsCommon Liberal Characteristics– Desire Desire progressive progressive changechange in in

societysociety– Concerned with protection of Concerned with protection of

humanhuman and and civil rightscivil rights, , equalityequality– Examples: ACLU, Sierra Club, Examples: ACLU, Sierra Club,

NAACP, NOW, labor unions, Dems.NAACP, NOW, labor unions, Dems.


Common Liberal IssuesCommon Liberal Issues– Pro-choicePro-choice– Affirmative ActionAffirmative Action– Gun controlGun control– Aid to the poorAid to the poor– Protecting the environmentProtecting the environment– Gay rightsGay rights

Liberal and ConservativeLiberal and ConservativeCommon Conservative Common Conservative

CharacteristicsCharacteristics– Desire to keep things as they Desire to keep things as they

are, maintain the status-quoare, maintain the status-quo– Change should be cautious, Change should be cautious, slowslow– Concerned with Concerned with stabilitystability and and

order order in societyin society– Desire to maintain Desire to maintain moral valuesmoral values

and and traditionstraditions

ConservativeConservative

Common Conservative IssuesCommon Conservative Issues– Anti-abortionAnti-abortion– Allowing prayer in schoolsAllowing prayer in schools– Cutting taxesCutting taxes– Cutting business regulations Cutting business regulations – Immigration controlImmigration control– Increased military spendingIncreased military spending


Often times, people hear Often times, people hear what they want to hear from what they want to hear from facts to support their ideologyfacts to support their ideology

For example…For example…

What Do Parties Do?What Do Parties Do?That’s the easiest

question you’ve asked all semester.

What Do Parties Do?What Do Parties Do?Nominate CandidatesNominate CandidatesActivate SupportersActivate SupportersThe “Bonding Agent” The “Bonding Agent”

Function – insure Function – insure officeholders do a good job officeholders do a good job

GovernGovernAct as a WatchdogAct as a Watchdog

Donkeys & ElephantsDonkeys & Elephants

DemocratDemocrat RepublicanRepublicanHarry ReidHarry Reid John John

BoehnerBoehner

The Two-Party SystemThe Two-Party System

Why do we have a two party Why do we have a two party system?system?– 1. Historical Basis – Federalists 1. Historical Basis – Federalists

& Anti-Federalists?& Anti-Federalists?– 2. Tradition – it has always 2. Tradition – it has always

been that way…been that way…


3. American Ideological 3. American Ideological Consensus –Consensus –

People should own propertyPeople should own property–We should have equalityWe should have equality–People have the right to People have the right to votevote

–Freedom of expressionFreedom of expression


4. The Electoral System – 4. The Electoral System – the U.S. uses single-the U.S. uses single-member districts… that member districts… that means only one person means only one person wins representation from wins representation from each districteach district

What’s the Big Deal?What’s the Big Deal?The Italians love women...The Italians love women...

Multiparty SystemsMultiparty SystemsMany lesser parties compete Many lesser parties compete

for a win public officefor a win public officeMostly in Europe and South Mostly in Europe and South

American democraciesAmerican democraciesMany parties must form a Many parties must form a coalitioncoalition, or a group of , or a group of parties that form a majorityparties that form a majority

One-Party Systems

• Found in dictatorships where only one party is allowed

• Red is the international color of communism: Cold War slogan, “Better Dead than Red !”

Party Membership PatternsParty Membership Patterns

Party membership is Party membership is voluntary. voluntary.

Each party must try Each party must try to attract as much to attract as much $upport as po$$ible$upport as po$$ible

AZ. Senator Jeff FlakeAZ. Senator Jeff Flake


Tend to be Democrat Tend to be Democrat – – WomenWomen African Americans,African Americans, Catholics & Jews, Catholics & Jews, Union Members, Union Members, Lower Income, Lower Income, Lower Education, Lower Education, Under 30, Under 30, Over 60Over 60


Tend to be Republican –Tend to be Republican – Men,Men, WASPs, WASPs, Work in the Business Community, Work in the Business Community, Higher Income, Higher Income, Higher Education,Higher Education, Middle-AgedMiddle-Aged

History of the Two-Party History of the Two-Party SystemSystem

The First Two PartiesThe First Two Parties– FederalistsFederalists

Founded by Alexander Hamilton Founded by Alexander Hamilton (on your $10 bill…)(on your $10 bill…)

Believed in forming a strong Believed in forming a strong national government, supported national government, supported policies that favored bu$ine$$...policies that favored bu$ine$$...

““The business of America is The business of America is business,” said Calvin Coolidgebusiness,” said Calvin Coolidge


The First Two PartiesThe First Two Parties– Democratic-Republicans/Anti-Democratic-Republicans/Anti-

FederalistsFederalistsFounded by Thomas JeffersonFounded by Thomas JeffersonBelieved in Believed in limitinglimiting the the federal federal government’s government’s powerpower, , and supported policies that and supported policies that benefited the “benefited the “common mancommon man””


Era of the Democrats (1800-Era of the Democrats (1800-1860)1860)– Democratic-Republicans Democratic-Republicans had come to dominate had come to dominate politics, but then broke into politics, but then broke into two factions, the two factions, the DemocratsDemocrats and and WhigsWhigs


Era of the Republicans (1860-Era of the Republicans (1860-1932)1932)– Began with Began with Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln – Republicans dominated elections Republicans dominated elections

due to support from due to support from businessesbusinesses and and African AmericansAfrican Americans

– Democrats only won in the Democrats only won in the SouthSouth


The Return of the Democrats The Return of the Democrats (1932-1968)(1932-1968)– The The Great DepressionGreat Depression turned turned

people against the Republican people against the Republican PartyParty

– Dwight Eisenhower was the only Dwight Eisenhower was the only Republican from this periodRepublican from this period


Divided Government (1968-Present)Divided Government (1968-Present)– Nixon’s Watergate scandal has Nixon’s Watergate scandal has led people to distrust governmentled people to distrust government

– Characterized by different parties Characterized by different parties controlling Congress & POTUScontrolling Congress & POTUS

– Country is evenly divided Country is evenly divided (remember the 2000 election?)(remember the 2000 election?)

Minor PartiesMinor Parties

Why run for Why run for election when election when you know you you know you will lose?will lose?– Act as the Act as the “spoiler” (Perot “spoiler” (Perot in 1992, Nader in 1992, Nader in 2000)in 2000)


Why run for Why run for election when you election when you know you will lose?know you will lose?– Make your Make your

issuesissues public, public, get the major get the major parties to adopt parties to adopt themthem

– Ron PaulRon Paul


Why run for Why run for election when election when you know you you know you will lose?will lose?– Criticize the Criticize the major partiesmajor parties

–(Ralph Nader)(Ralph Nader)

Types of Minor PartiesTypes of Minor Parties

Ideological Parties – based on Ideological Parties – based on a set of beliefsa set of beliefs– Tend to be Tend to be long lastinglong lasting–Examples: Communist, Examples: Communist, Socialist, LibertarianSocialist, Libertarian

Types of Minor PartiesTypes of Minor PartiesSingle-Issue Parties – concentrate Single-Issue Parties – concentrate

on on one public policy matterone public policy matter– Name usually reflects their Name usually reflects their issueissue

– Party dies after the issue fades Party dies after the issue fades or one of the major parties or one of the major parties adopts their issueadopts their issue

– Examples: Free Soil, Nativist, Examples: Free Soil, Nativist, Right to Life, Prohibition, 2Right to Life, Prohibition, 2ndnd AmendmentAmendment

Types of Minor PartiesTypes of Minor Parties Economic Protest Parties – arise Economic Protest Parties – arise

during periods of poor economy, during periods of poor economy, and express disgust with and express disgust with rallies/town halls, etc…rallies/town halls, etc…– Usually sectional, drawing Usually sectional, drawing

support from one region of the support from one region of the countrycountry

– They invent an “enemy” of the They invent an “enemy” of the economy and blame themeconomy and blame them

– Examples: Greenback, Populist, Examples: Greenback, Populist, Tea Party Tea Party

Types of Minor PartiesTypes of Minor Parties Splinter Parties – break away from one of Splinter Parties – break away from one of

the major partiesthe major parties– Usually form around a strong Usually form around a strong

personality personality – Typically have short-term successTypically have short-term success– Fade away when the leader steps asideFade away when the leader steps aside– Examples: Bull Moose, American Examples: Bull Moose, American

Independent, ReformIndependent, Reform

political parties and ideology what is a party? political party – people who seek to control...

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