Chapter 8: Political Parties
American Democracy Now 2/e
Political Parties
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Parties Today and Their Functions
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Defining a Political Party
How Parties Engage Individuals
What Political Parties Do
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Political Parties
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The Three Faces of Parties
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The Party in the Electorate
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Measuring the Party in the Electorate
Determining Who Belongs to Each Political Party
Differences Between Democrats and Republicans
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Political Parties
Where Do You Stand?
In your opinion, which major U.S. political party does a
better job of ensuring a healthy economy?
a. Republican Party
b. Democratic Party
c. Neither party
d. No opinion
Source: “Party Images,” www.gallup.com/poll/24655/Party-Images.aspx.
©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Political Parties
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The Three Faces of Parties
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The Party Organization
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(continued)
The National Parties
State Parties
County and Local Parties
The Party in Government

Divided Government
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©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Political Parties
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Political Parties in U.S. History
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The First Party System: The Development of
Parties, 1789-1828
The Second Party System: The Democrats’
Rise to Power, 1828-1860
The Third Party System: The Republicans’
Rise to Power, 1860-1896
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Political Parties

Political Parties in U.S. History
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

(continued)
The Fourth Party System: Republican
Dominance, 1896-1932
The Fifth Party System: Democratic
Dominance, 1932-1968
A New Party System?
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Political Parties
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Two-Party Domination in U.S. Politics
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The Dualist Nature of Most Conflicts
The Winner-Take-All Electoral System
Continued Socialization to the Two-Party
System
Election Laws That Favor the Two-Party
System
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Political Parties

The Two-Party System Today:
In Decline or in Resurgence?
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
The Party’s Over
The Party’s Just Begun
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©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Political Parties
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Third Parties in the United States
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Types of Third Parties
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Issue Advocacy Parties
Ideologically Oriented Parties
Splinter Parties
The Impact of Third Parties
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©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Political Parties
Where Do You Stand?
Do you think the Republican and Democratic parties
represent the interests of the American people
effectively, or do we need a third major party?
a. They do an effective job.
b. We need a third major party.
c. No opinion
Source: “Party Images,” www.gallup.com/poll/24655/Party-Images.aspx.
©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Political Parties
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New Ideologies, New Technologies:
The Parties in the Twenty-First Century
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Struggling for the Heart of the Republican
Party: Moderates, Neocons, and a Tea Party
Movement
Democrats Today
Changing Both Parties: New Technologies
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