Political parties lay claim to different areas along the political spectrum. From the extreme left to the extreme right and all points in between. The most successful parties are those that are able to lay claim to the most space on the political spectrum, thereby, appealing to the highest number of possible voters.
When the Constitution was written, there were no political parties in the United States. There were, however, ideological factions. While the Framers knew there was no way to avoid faction (see Federalist No.10) , Washington feared that organized parties would, well....., read for yourself above.
One thing the Framers did not anticipate was the fact that organized parties would be created so quickly. The creation of the two-party system was a natural reaction to the electoral system of the United States of America; a winner-take-all system.
Two-party systems aren't the only way to operate though.
There are One-party systems (China, Cuba) and there are Multi-party systems (India, Italy)
There are five functions that political parties in America serve according to the text.
- Recruit candidates for public office
- Organize and run elections
- Present alternative policies to the electorate
- Accept responsibility for operating government
- Act as organized opposition to the party in power
Each political party has its own hierarchy and structure. (precinct -> ward -> county -> state -> national)
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| Debbie Wasserman Schultz - Chair - DNC |
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| Reince Priebus - Chair - RNC |
The good and the bad of political parties:
- limits extremism
- provide stability
- build consensus
- identifiable 'brand'
- can't fulfill all promises
- big party contributors hold overwhelming influence
- gridlock
Trends in party politics in America
- Americans tend to prefer divided government
- Americans have trended towards ticket-splitting more often as of late
- There has been a cycle created between political polarization and 'safe seats'
While 3rd parties never win in America, there are few things to note about 3rd parties.
- the limited success of third parties (Table 8-1 on p.302)
- circumstances of the time create the need for a third party (Table 8-2 on p.303)
- strong personalities can be the catalyst that creates splinter parties from a traditional party
