2. Modern Political Parties a) Republican Party 1) single-issue 3rd party until Lincoln won (1860)
2. Modern Political Parties a) Republican Party 1) single-issue 3rd party until Lincoln won (1860) 2) Civil War: Voter realignment, dominant party until 1932. 3) Northern farmers, bankers, business owners, Union soldiers, blacks 4) Today a) Power shift to states
2. Modern Political Parties a) Republican Party 1) single-issue 3rd party until Lincoln won (1860)
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2. Modern Political Parties • a) Republican Party • 1) single-issue 3rd party until Lincoln won (1860) • 2) Civil War: Voter realignment, dominant party until 1932. • 3) Northern farmers, bankers, business owners, Union soldiers, blacks • 4) Today • a) Power shift to states • b) Conservative: Private Sector • c) Strong Defense • d) Low Taxes • e) Big Business
b) Democratic Party • 1) Solid South after Civil War • 2) Depression causes voter realignment, dominant party until 1968. • 3) New Coalition: Labor, city dwellers, blacks • 4) Today • a) Strong Central gov’t • b) Liberal: Public Sector • c) Social/Welfare Programs • d) Higher taxes to support programs • e) Labor Unions/Minorities Today parties power shifts back and forth
C. The Role of Minor (Third) Parties • 1) Types • a) Single-Issue (prohibition) or personality (Bull-Moose) • b) Ideologically Different: Usually radical (Socialist, Communist, Know Nothings) • c) Splinter groups from major Parties, usually regional (Dixiecrats, Free Soil, Am Indep.) • D) Economic goals or protests (Populists, Progressives, Green-backs, Libertarians)
2. Function/Impact • a) Safety valves: outlet for anger or dissent. • b) New Ideas: Those too controversial for major parties to take a stand on (income tax, woman’s suffrage, prohibition, child labor laws, etc) • c) Critics of Am Gov’t: watchdog. • d) Spoiler (sometimes): Bull Moose (1912)
3. Obstacles • a) Tradition • b) winner-take-all electoral system • c) election laws • d) lack of broad national appeal • e) lack of media coverage • f) ideas absorbed by major parties • g) lack of strong organization • h) lack of $ • i) too much success
Sec.2: Organization and Functions • A. Political Party Organization • 1.Both parties are broad-based in support • a. Joining is voluntary/free • b. Include people of all regions, class, religion, occupation. • 2. Both are Centrist in ideology • a. Most Americans are moderate.
3. Both are decentralized in organization • a. State and local independent national =a confederation. • b.
B. Party Functions • 1) Win elections • 2) Moderate Conflicts: put together coalitions • 3) Educate Voters: provide info and simplify issues • 4) encourage political participation • 5) provide people to run the gov’t • 6) recruit/select candidates • 7) raise $ • 8) Out of power, criticize/evaluate those in power=loyal opposition • 9) dispense patronage