UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION

Ware pgs. 1-6 and D/W pgs. 3-10

Course Logistics: Information Course syllabus, handouts, etc. can all

be found on the course website: http://polisci2.ucsd.edu/ps137a/

NOTE: URL is case sensitive My office hours and location

M/W 2:30-3:30 in SSB 445 (dfisk@ucsd.edu)

Course Logistics: Objectives

Objectives: Introduce students to the study of political

parties and party systems in comparative perspective.

Thematic Concepts: 1) Formation of political parties 2) Role of political parties 3) Evolving function of parties and

consequences for democracy 4) Political parties and party system structure.

Course Logistics: Course Grading

Participation -10%Game Report -30%Midterm Examination -30%

Final Examination -30%

Course Logistics: Participation We will generally open each lecture with

a discussion of current events that tie into the material being presented. I’ll try to tweet articles prior to lecture.

Twitter: ofse77 If you find something interesting, please

feel free to forward it to me. Economist, Financial Times, BBC News are

all great resources. Some useful URLs are listed on the syllabus.

Course Logistics: Papers

Game Report There will be four games played in class; you must write

on ONE of these games. Games connect to central logic of course readings.

Whether you ‘win” or “lose’ in the games is irrelevant. Objective: see how the logic detailed in the readings works in

practice. Reports should be 4-5 pgs. in length.

Will be due one week after the game is played in class. Plan accordingly to avoid having two papers due in one

week. Midterm/Final Examination

Prompt will be distributed in class. Midterm may deal with subjects associated with the games.

Examinations should be 5-7 pgs. in length. Late papers/E-mail attachments are NOT accepted

without valid documentation.

Course Logistics: Readings

Dalton and Wattenberg. Parties without Partisans. Mueller and Strom. Policy, Office, or Votes? Ware. Political Parties and Party Systems Reserve readings (electronic reserves). In general, read Ware chapters first.

Ware: Read section A; skim section B based on interest. Readings are extensive; necessary for course assignments.

Although the reading level is nothing compared to what you will do in your graduate studies.

You cannot do well on course assignments without doing the reading.

If you cannot commit to doing the reading you should not commit to taking the course.

URL on syllabus for strategies for tackling academic readings. Hint: Read for the general idea/argument.

Guiding Questions

What are political parties? What are interest groups? Why do we care about political

parties? What do political parties do? Are political parties in decline?

What Are Political Parties?

Several authors posit various criteria including: 1) bring people together for the purpose of

exercising power within the state. 2) seek to use legitimate means for pursuing

their ends. 3) will contest elections where able. 4) seek to represent more than a single

interest in society. 5) group people with similar beliefs, values,

attitudes.

What Are Political Parties?

Ware 1996 Political parties:

1) seek influence in a state often by attempting to occupy positions in government

2) usually consist of more than a single interest in society and to some degree attempt to ‘aggregate interests’

Political Parties vs. Interest Groups

Interest groups 1) primarily interested in advancing a single

interest or set of interests within a polity. 2) organized outside of the state; seek to

influence governments but generally. do not put forth candidates for office.

Both political parties and interest groups are involved in interest articulation (expressing citizen wants and needs).

Only political parties are interested in interest aggregation (combining citizen wants/needs to create coherent policy).

Political Parties: Why Do We Care?

Political parties exist in most states regardless of regime type.

Where parties are suppressed, their absence is generally temporary.

Parties play a critical role in democratic systems. Bryce (1921): “parties are inevitable: no free country has

been without them; and no one has shown how representative government could work without them”

Schattschneider (1942): “modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of political parties”

Aldrich (1995): “political parties lie at the heart of American politics”

Muller (2000): “European democracies are not only parliamentary democracies but also party democracies”

Political Parties: Functions

If we buy the idea that political parties are crucial for the functioning of democracy, what do they do?

Key (1964) identified three functions that political parties serve: Parties as Organizations Parties in Government Parties in the Electorate

Parties as Organizations

Parties as organizations- 1) Recruit political

leadership 2) Train political

elites 3) Articulate

political interests 4) Aggregate

political interests

Parties in Government

Parties in government- 1) Create governmental

majorities. 2) Organize government. 3) Implement policy

objectives. 4) Organize dissent and

opposition. 5) Ensure governmental

responsibility. 6) Control administration

of government and promote stability.

Parties in the Electorate

Parties in the electorate 1) Simplify

choices for voters. 2) Educate

citizens. 3) Generate

symbols of identification and loyalty.

4) Mobilize participation

Are Parties in Decline?

It is often stated that political parties are in decline. Lower rates of party membership Weaker turnout numbers

Rise of interest groups and social movements arguably threaten the central role of party in terms of interest aggregation (parties as organizations).

Declining levels of partisan identification weaken central role of party in fostering party loyalty and education voters (parties in the electorate).

Parties seem dominant in terms of dictating policy (parties in government).

Political parties as institutions are very responsive to change.

Some argue that political parties have responded by insulating themselves from political backlash Others argue this opens the door to extreme parties.

Next Unit

Theme: Evolution and Development of Political Parties-

Cadre Parties Readings:

Aldrich, LaPalombara and Weiner, Neumann, Duverger

Theme: Evolution and Development of Political Parties-

Mass and Catch All Parties Readings:

Kirchheimer, Epstein, Pizzorno