Roots of Our Two Party System
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Roots of Our Two Party System Unit 3 AP Government and Politics “I adore political parties. They are the only place left to us where people don't talk politics.” - Oscar Wilde Homework : Assignment 2 for tomorrow Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and both are right.
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Unit 3 AP Government and Politics . Roots of Our Two Party System. Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and both are right. - HL Mencken. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Roots of Our Two Party System
Roots of Our Two Party System
Unit 3AP Government and Politics
“I adore political parties. They are the only place left to us where people don't talk politics.” - Oscar Wilde
Homework: Assignment 2 for tomorrow
Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and both are right.
- HL Mencken
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/OConner_Ch11_Political_Parties_Seg1_v2.html
The Last Word: Assignment 2 due tomorrow
FrontPage: What makes a political party different from other groups?
The Last Word: Assignment 2 due tomorrow
FrontPage: What makes a political party different from other groups?
Political Parties What is a political party?
Group primarily focused on nominating and electing candidates, and controlling government
3 “arenas” in which parties operate With/among the electorate – as a label▪ Are they today, weaker or stronger?
Party activists and organizers – as an organization▪ Are they today, weaker or stronger?
In making policies - governing ▪ Are they today, weaker or stronger?
Political Parties
Reforms that have made parties weaker: Australian ballot – uniform, secret ballot printed
by gov. Patronage no longer pervasive Rise of PACs, 527 and others; parties no longer
only group that can raise $$ Info on candidates more readily available,
parties are not only source More voters identify themselves as
independents
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg3_PoliticalParties_v2.html
The Four Party Periods
The Founding Founding to 1820s Critical election = 1800
The Jacksonian Period 1820s to Civil War Critical election = 1828
The “Golden Age” Civil War to 1930s Critical election = 1860
The Modern Era (Reform) 1930s to ??? Critical election = 1932
The Founding – 1800 - 1828
The Founding What were the two
earliest parties based on?
How did the election of 1800 essentially signal the beginning of the end of this period?
How did the parties represent heterogeneous economic and regional interests?
The Jacksonian Period – 1828 - 1860
How was this a “democratization of democracy?” Voting, nominating
candidates, electors
Political party influence Decreased at the nat’l level Increased at the state level due to
expansion of the electorate What 2 parties emerged
after the election of 1828? Whigs and Democrats Gave the US the first broadly-
supported two-party system
The “Golden Age” 1860 - 1932
The Civil War and Aftermath How did slavery
affect the election of 1860?▪ Democrats, Whigs
(Constitutional Union), Republicans
What was the result of the election?
Party Stability Characterized by the dominance of party organizations Era from end of Reconstruction until reforms of the Progressive Era
Political Machines Organizations that use tangible incentives such as jobs and favors to win loyalty among voters Provided upward social mobility
The Modern Era 1932 – ??? Changes in the Influence of Parties Elections and social services changes
Ballot printing, other elections duties handled by government instead of parties
Roosevelt’s New Deal put social services in hands of government, not parties
Candidate-centered politics Shift to focus on candidates, their issues and character
rather than on party affiliation
These, and other reforms, have helped to weaken the overall influence of parties
The election of 1932 What triggered this “realigning election”?
Who comprised the New Deal coalition?
11.1Citizen Support and Party Realignment
Party realignments Dramatic shifts in partisan preference that drastically
alter the political landscape Existing party affiliations subject to upheaval
Critical elections May polarize voters around new issues or personalities
Secular realignments More gradual shifts in party coalitions
Critical or Realigning Elections
What is a “critical” or “realigning” election? sharp changes in issues, party leaders, the regional and demographic bases of
power of the two parties, and structure or rules of the political system (such as voter eligibility or financing), resulting in a new political power structure that lasts for decades.
The 1800 Election – ▪ Begins the initial “fading” period of parties –Dem/Republicans victorious
The 1828 Election – ▪ Begins the Jacksonian period
The 1860 Election – ▪ Republican party emerges; Whigs disappear
The 1896 Election – ▪ Bryan and Democrats lose; new Republicans solidify▪ Shores up the parties in certain regions of the US
The 1932 Election – ▪ Emergence of the “New Deal Coalition”▪ Labor unions, intellectuals, farmers, seniors, white southerners, Jews, Catholics, and
minorities . The 1968 Election -
▪ Fracturing of the New Deal Democratic Coalition
What does a critical election look like?
The 2012 Election
Was it a critical, or realigning election? What had to happen?
2016?
