Political Parties and
Ideology
What is a Party?
 Political
Party – people who seek
to control government through
the winning of elections
 Major Party – a party that wins
control of government
Major Parties
 There
are two major parties in
the U.S. Can you name them?
What is Ideology?
 Ideology
is basically the way you
look at how the world works
 There are two major ideologies in
the United States
– Liberal
– Conservative
Liberal and Conservative
 You
can mix the two to form your
own individual ideology
Liberal and Conservative
 Common
Liberal Characteristics
–Desire progressive change in
society
–Concerned with protection of
human and civil rights, equality
–Examples: ACLU, Sierra Club,
NAACP, NOW, labor unions, Dems.
Liberal and Conservative
 Common
Liberal Issues
–Pro-choice
–Affirmative Action
–Gun control
–Aid to the poor
–Protecting the environment
–Gay rights
Liberal and Conservative
 Common
Conservative
Characteristics
–Desire to keep things as they are,
maintain the status-quo
–Change should be cautious, slow
–Concerned with stability and order
in society
–Desire to maintain moral values and
traditions
Conservative
 Common
Conservative Issues
–Anti-abortion
–Allowing prayer in schools
–Cutting taxes
–Cutting business regulations
–Immigration control
–Increased military spending
Liberal and Conservative
 Often
times, people hear what
they want to hear from facts to
support their ideology
 For example…
What Do Parties Do?
That’s the
easiest question
you’ve asked all
semester.
What Do Parties Do?
 Nominate
Candidates
 Activate Supporters
 The “Bonding Agent” Function –
insure officeholders do a good job
 Govern
 Act as a Watchdog
Donkeys & Elephants
 Democrat
 Harry
Reid
Republican
John Boehner
The Two-Party System
 Why
do we have a two party system?
–1. Historical Basis – Federalists &
Anti-Federalists?
–2. Tradition – it has always been
that way…
The Two-Party System
 3.
American Ideological
Consensus –
 People should own property
–We should have equality
–People have the right to vote
–Freedom of expression
The Two-Party System
4.
The Electoral System – the
U.S. uses single-member
districts… that means only one
person wins representation
from each district
What’s the Big Deal?
 The
Italians love women...
Multiparty Systems
 Many
lesser parties compete for a
win public office
 Mostly in Europe and South
American democracies
 Many parties must form a
coalition, or a group of
parties that form a majority
One-Party Systems
• Found in dictatorships where only one
party is allowed
• Red is the international color of
communism: Cold War slogan, “Better
Dead than Red !”
Party Membership Patterns
Party membership is
voluntary.
 Each party must try to
attract as much $upport
as po$$ible


AZ. Senator Jeff Flake
Party Membership Patterns
 Tend








to be Democrat
Women
African Americans,
Catholics & Jews,
Union Members,
Lower Income,
Lower Education,
Under 30,
Over 60
–
Party Membership Patterns
 Tend






to be Republican –
Men,
WASPs,
Work in the Business Community,
Higher Income,
Higher Education,
Middle-Aged
History of the Two-Party System

The First Two Parties
– Federalists
 Founded by Alexander Hamilton (on
your $10 bill…)
 Believed in forming a strong national
government, supported policies that
favored bu$ine$$...
 “The business of America is business,”
said Calvin Coolidge
History of the Two-Party System
 The
First Two Parties
– Democratic-Republicans/AntiFederalists
Founded by Thomas Jefferson
Believed in limiting the federal
government’s power, and
supported policies that benefited
the “common man”
History of the Two-Party System
 Era
of the Democrats (1800-1860)
– Democratic-Republicans had
come to dominate politics, but
then broke into two factions, the
Democrats and Whigs
History of the Two-Party System
 Era
of the Republicans (1860-1932)
– Began with Abraham Lincoln
– Republicans dominated elections due
to support from businesses and
African Americans
– Democrats only won in the South
History of the Two-Party System
 The
Return of the Democrats (19321968)
– The Great Depression turned people
against the Republican Party
– Dwight Eisenhower was the only
Republican from this period
History of the Two-Party System
 Divided
Government (1968-Present)
– Nixon’s Watergate scandal has
led people to distrust government
– Characterized by different parties
controlling Congress & POTUS
– Country is evenly divided
(remember the 2000 election?)
Minor Parties
 Why
run for
election when you
know you will lose?
– Act as the
“spoiler” (Perot in
1992, Nader in
2000)
Minor Parties
 Why
run for
election when you
know you will lose?
– Make your
issues public, get
the major parties to
adopt them
– Ron Paul
Minor Parties
 Why
run for
election when you
know you will lose?
– Criticize the
major parties
–(Ralph Nader)
Types of Minor Parties
 Ideological
Parties – based on a
set of beliefs
– Tend to be long lasting
–Examples: Communist, Socialist,
Libertarian
Types of Minor Parties
 Single-Issue
Parties – concentrate
on one public policy matter
– Name usually reflects their issue
– Party dies after the issue fades
or one of the major parties
adopts their issue
– Examples: Free Soil, Nativist,
Right to Life, Prohibition, 2nd
Amendment
Types of Minor Parties
 Economic
Protest Parties – arise during
periods of poor economy, and express
disgust with rallies/town halls, etc…
– Usually sectional, drawing support
from one region of the country
– They invent an “enemy” of the
economy and blame them
– Examples: Greenback, Populist, Tea
Party
Types of Minor Parties

Splinter Parties – break away from one of the
major parties
– Usually form around a strong personality
– Typically have short-term success
– Fade away when the leader steps aside
– Examples: Bull Moose, American
Independent, Reform