Government
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Section 1
Political Parties
A political party can be defined in two ways:
1.
A group of persons who seek to control government
through the winning of elections and the holding of public
office.
2.
A group of persons joined together on the basis of certain
common principles, who seek to control the government in
order to bring about the adoption of certain public policies
and programs.
-First definition fits the Dems and Repubs because they are
election oriented not policy oriented.
-Democrats and Republicans can be thought of as a coalition: a
union of many persons of diverse interest who have come
together to get their candidates elected to public office.
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Political Parties
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What do parties do?
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Serve as a link between the people and their
government.
Help unify the American people by making
compromises on different issues. Doesn’t always
happen.
Political parties have five other main functions.
Functions of Political Parties
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Nominating Function: nominate or name candidates for
public office.
Informer-Stimulator Function: informs the people and
stimulates their interests and participation in public
affairs.
 Campaigns for the candidate, educates the public
through buttons, signs, and ads.
Seal of Approval Function: in choosing their candidates,
the party tries to see that they are men and women who
are both qualified and of good character.
 Make sure that candidates do good in office so as to
make the party look good.
Functions of Political Parties
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Government Function
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Government by party.
Political appointees done by party.
Voting in Congress done along party lines.
Watchdog Function
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Party not in power keeps an eye on the party in
power and makes voters aware of any wrong
doing.
Chapter 5
Section 4
Minor Parties
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1.
Four distinct types of minor parties:
Ideological party: based on a particular
set of beliefs, a comprehensive view of
social, economic, and political matters.
-Most are Marxist and based on the ideas of
Karl Marx
-Do not get many votes, but are long lasting.
-Examples: Socialist and Communist Parties.
Minor Parties
2. Single-issue parties: concentrate on a
single public policy matter.
-Name of party usually tells about the party.
-Usually fade into history as their issue
fades.
-Example: Free Soil Party-opposed the
spread of slavery.
Minor Parties
3. Economic Protest Parties: rooted in period of
economic discontent, no clear cut ideological base.
-Disappear when economic troubles are over.
4. Splinter parties: parties that split away from one of
the major parties.
-Usually form around some strong personality who
have most likely failed to win the main party
nomination.
-Most often ends when its leader steps down.
-Example: Bull Moose Party, Dixiecrats.
Key Role of Minor Parties
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1st to use the national convention to pick their
candidates.
Strong 3rd party candidate can play a spoiler role
in elections.
Most important role is as a critic and innovator.
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Takes a stand on critical issues and brings issues to the
public’s attention.
Major party adopts the issues of the minor party as their
own therefore frustrating the minor party and making them
obsolete.
Chapter 5
Section 5
Organization of Political Parties
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Reality of political parties is that they are not
as cohesive as you might think.
They are very decentralized and fragmented.
There is not really a chain of command
running from the national to the state level.
The President of the U.S. has the role of
trying to be a party leader and super
politician.
Structure of the National Party
Machinery
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National Convention
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Meets in the summer of every presidential
election year to nominate a presidential
candidate.
Party platform is written here.
National Committee
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Contains many of the party’s leading figures.
Committee does not have much clout and main
job is the plan the next convention.
Structure of the National Party
Machinery
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National Chairperson
 Selected by the presidential candidate and confirmed by the
committee.
 Is the leader of the national committee and serves a four-year
term.
 Directs the work of the party’s HQ in D.C.
 In election year, concentrates on the convention and then the
campaign.
 In off years, tries to promote party unity, raise money, recruit
new voters, and prepare for the next election.
Congressional Campaign Committee
 Tries to get incumbents reelected and save retiring seats.
 Tries to unseat other party’s incumbents.
State and Local Party Organization
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State Organization
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Independent from national organization.
Led by a State central committee and State
chairperson.
Work together to build party unity, raise funds, and
find candidates.
Local Organization
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Each district has a party.
Most of the time they are inactive until right before
the election
Pig-Pie-Po
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The three basic elements of the party:
1. Party in Government (Pig): party members who
hold elected or appointed offices at the
national, state and local levels.
2. Party in the Electorate (Pie): citizens who
support, identify with the party and its
candidates.
3. Party Organization (Po): party committees,
officers, and workers.
*Future of major parties (in book)