Political Parties
Political Parties
• A political party is an organization that seeks
power and influence.
Who are members?
• Members of a political party share the same
or similar opinions on many issues, but there
may be differences.
• Anyone can be a member as long as they are
citizens of the US and are 18 years old and
older.
Role of Political Parties
• Selecting and Supporting candidates
– Informing the public and activating supporters
through pamphlets, bumper stickers, ads, signs,
buttons
– Act as bonding agent
• To ensure qualified representatives are carrying the
people’s message to government
Role of Political Parties
• Serve as a link
– Enables the branches and levels of government to
communicate
• Acts as a watchdog
– The party not in power is watching the party in
power
The US Two-Party System
• In the United States, there are only two major
political parties.
• The two major political parties in the United
States are the Democrats and the Republicans.
• In China & North Korea, there is a One-Party
System – or only 1 political party
• In Israel & much of Europe there are multiparty systems – or 3+ political parties
Why Political Parties
• Although the Constitution of the United States
does not mention political parties, they came
into being around the time the nation was
formed.
The History of the 2 Political Parties
• Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton had
different visions of America's future. Their
differences led to the first political parties in
the United States.
• Jefferson favored a less active federal
government, a limited presidency, and ties to
France. Hamilton favored a strong federal
government, a strong presidency, and ties to
England.
Minor Political Parties
• The two-party political system in the United
States is the result of a winner-takes-all voting
system.
• Some minority parties
– Ideological Parties (Environmentalism)
– Independent Candidate Parties (on their own)
– Single Issue Parties (Green Party)
– Splinter Parties (Libertarian)
Differences between the Political
Parties
• The differences between the two parties are not exact and
there is a lot of overlap in their policies
• 1. In 2004, about 42.6 percent of Americans were
registered Democrats, 32.5 percent Republicans, and 24.8
percent independents.
• 2. The Republican Party is called "right" and "conservative"
and the Democratic Party is called "left" and "liberal". Both
parties have a strong "center".
• 3. Political factions occur within parties when there are
differences of opinions over policies.
• 4. George Washington did not belong to a political party. He
is the only president that was elected as an independent.
Democrats & Republicans
• Democrats tend to favor a broader and more
active role for the federal government, labor
laws, and vigorous social programs.
• Republicans tend to favor states' rights,
policies that favor businesses, and private
solutions to social problems.
Political Parties & Ideas
• Platforms and Planks
– Platform – a political party’s statement of its goals
and positions on all issues
– Plank – a single issue on a political party’s
platform