The Nature and Functions of
American Political Parties
Prepared for the Center for Civic Education
Richard J. Hardy, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
Director of the Centennial Honors College
Western Illinois University
August 1, 2012
“No America without democracy, no
democracy without politics, no politics
without parties, no parties without
compromise and moderation.”
--Clinton Rossiter
Topical Outline
I.
What Are Political Parties?
A. Definition of Political Parties
B. Classification of Political Parties
1. By Selection of Members
2. By Nature of Ideology
3. By Degree of Centralization
4. By Degree of Party Discipline
What is a Political Party?
Do You Think of Political Party Leaders?
Do You Think of Political Party Symbols?
Do You Think of Political Party Conventions?
Do You Think of Political Campaigns?
Do You Think of Divisions in Congress?
Do You Think of Political Parties Positively?
Do You Think of Political Parties Negatively?
Definition
• A political party is group of people who
run candidates for public office under its
banner.
1. By Selection of Members
• Cadre Parties
• Mass Parties
Cadre Party
Cadre refers to a nucleus or small core of
indoctrinated leaders who promote ideological
interests.
Examples: Socialist Workers’ Party, American
Nazi Party, Communist Party
Mass Party
Mass party refers to an organization where
anyone is encouraged and free to join. There
are few if any tests for membership.
Examples: American Democratic and
Republican Parties
2. By Nature of Ideology
• Missionary Parties
• Broker Parties
Missionary Party
Missionary party refers to a highly ideological
organization whose members must be recruited
and converted to the tenets or values of the
organization.
Examples: Prohibition Party, Communist Party
Missionary Parties want Converts!
Broker Party
A Broker is someone who buys and sells on a
commission. A broker party is an organization
that is less ideological and is willing to modify its
positions on issues in order to secure the most
votes.
Examples: American Democratic and
Republican Parties
Interest
Groups
Interest
Groups
Interest Groups
Broker Parties Want VOTES!
Ideology
• Ideology is a systematic set of attitudes and
opinions people use to justify their view of the
political world.
• There is no one ideology.
• Ideology is thought to exist on a continuum
from left to right on the political spectrum.
N=Number
Frequency Distribution
High
Low
Low
T=Trait
Hig
h
N
Men’s Shoe Size
Range of Sizes
4
8
10
T
12
22
N
4
8
10
T
12
22
N
4
8
10
T
12
22
Statistical Normality
“The Bell Curve”
Grade Distribution
N
Class of
500
College
Freshman
F
D
C
T
B
A
N
Standard Deviations
from the Mean
-2
-1
0
T
+1
+2
N
Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
-2
120
-1
0
+1
144
151
160
T
+2
180
N
Left
Right
Moderate
Liberal
Conservative
Radical
-1-2
Reactionary
-1
-2
0
0
T
+1
+1
+2
+2
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
N
Moderate
DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS
Liberal
Conservative
Radical
-2
Reactionary
-1
0
T
+1
+2
N
Moderate
Liberal
Conservative
REPUBLICANS
Radical
Reactionary
DEMOCRATS
-2
-1
0
T
+1
+2
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
What would happen if….?
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
What would happen if….?
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
What would happen if….?
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
What would happen if….?
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
Lesson
“To win
elections,
candidates
must play
between the
forty yard lines
of the political
football field.”
3. By Degree of Centralization
• Highly Centralized (Unitary)
• Highly Decentralized (Federal)
Centralized Power
Decentralized Power
The American Democratic and
Republican Parties are perhaps the
most DECENTRALIZED political
parties in the world!
4. By Degree of Discipline
• Strong Party Discipline
• Weak Party Discipline
Strong Party Discipline
Discipline refers to the degree of authority and
power the leaders hold over their rank and file
members. Parties with strong party discipline
hold a great deal of leverage over party
members.
Examples: British Labour and Conservative
Parties
Weak Party Discipline
Discipline refers to the degree of authority and
power the leaders hold over their rank and file
members. Parties with weak party discipline
have relatively little leverage over party
members.
Examples: American Democratic and
Republican Parties
Democrats and Republicans
• Mass Parties--virtually anyone can join
• Broker Parties--looking for votes, not converts
• Decentralized Parties--power is widely dispersed
• Weak Party Discipline--leaders exert few sanctions
Topical Outline
II. What are the Functions of
Political Parties?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Promote stability
Recruit leaders
Organize government
Help educate citizens
Provide loyal opposition
Spawn civic engagement
Simplify choices
A. Promote Stability
Major political parties serve as a buffer to soften
the class of extremism. They do so by building
coalitions and brokering compromises.
B. Recruit Leaders
Modern governments need quality leaders.
Political parties serve as personnel agencies to
identify, recruit and promote competent public
servants.
C. Organize Government
Without some mechanism to organize the lawmaking process, legislative bodies would be
nearly impossible to function. Party leaders set
legislative priorities and help enact laws.
D. Help Educate Citizens
Parties help define issues and educate voters
about their positions on public policy.
E. Provide Loyal Opposition
The party out of power serves as watchdog to
keep the governing party from abusing its
authority.
F. Spawn Civic Engagement

Parties help register voters and organize
get-out-to-vote drives.

Voter turnout in partisan elections, all things
being equal, is significantly higher than in
non-partisan elections.
G. Simplify Choices
Most voters do not have the time, resources or
inclination to study every candidate and issue.
The parties help simplify their choices.
Topical Outline
III. Why A Two-Party System?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Tradition
Cultural Consensus
Economic Divisions
Political Socialization
Legal Restrictions
A. Tradition

It seems the United States has
nearly always had a strong twoparty system.

It is part of our nation’s history
and tradition.
Development of the America’s Two-Party System
B. Social Consensus

If a nation can achieve a “consensus” on
fundamental values, then two parties are
all that is needed to resolve secondary
issues.
C. Economic Divisions

Some believe our two major political
parties represent an economic division
between the so-called “haves” and “have
nots” in American society.
Development of the America’s Two-Party System
D. Political Socialization



The primary agent of partisan transmission is
the family.
Most American families are either identify with
or lean to either the Democratic Party or the
Republican Party.
Few American children are socialized to be
anything else.
E. Legal Restrictions



Most legal restrictions are imposed by the 50
state constitutions and legislation.
Historically, state governments have enacted
laws that favor the two major political parties.
For most U.S. elections, political candidates
are elected from single-member districts
where the winner-takes all.
Hypothetical State with 10
Single-Member Election Districts where
the “Winner Takes All”
Results
Democrats send 7
Representatives to
Congress
Republicans send 3
Representatives to
Congress
Hypothetical State with 10 Representatives using
Proportional Representation (PR) where seats are
apportioned, at large according to the popular vote.
Results
Democrats = 50% of
popular votes, 5 seats
Republicans = 40% of
popular votes, 4 seats
Communists = 10% of
popular votes, 1 seat
Electoral College Map, 2008
E lecto ra l Co ll ege 201 2, by S tate and E lectors
S tate
Alaba m a
Alas k a
Ar izo na
Ar k ansas
Cali fo rnia
C o lo rad o
C o nnec t icu t
Dela w a r e
Fl o rida
Ge o rgia
Ha w aii
Idah o
Illin o is
Indiana
Iow a
Kansas
Kent u ck y
L o uisiana
M aine
M ar y land
M ass a chu s et ts
M ich igan
M inn e so ta
M is sis sippi
M is so u r i
M o ntana
Nebr a sk a
Ne v ada
Ne w Ha m p sh ire
Ne w J er se y
Ne w M exi co
Ne w Y o rk
N o rth C a ro lina
N o rth Da k o ta
Ohi o
O k lah o m a
Oreg o n
Penns y lv ania
Rh o de I sland
S o uth Car o lina
S o uth Da k o ta
Tenn e ss ee
Te x as
Utah
Ve r m o nt
Virgi n ia
Washingt o n
W e st V irginia
W isc o n s in
W yo m ing
Di s tr ic t o f Columbia*
T O T A LS
Nu m be r o f U .S .
Rep r es ent a ti ve s
7
1
9
4
53
7
5
1
27
14
2
2
18
9
4
4
6
6
2
8
9
14
8
4
8
1
3
4
2
12
3
27
13
1
16
5
5
18
2
7
1
9
36
4
1
11
10
3
8
1
-- - -
435
Nu m be r o f
U.S . S enat or s
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
------
100
Nu m be r o f
El e ct o ral V ote s
9
3
11
6
55
9
7
3
29
16
4
4
20
11
6
6
8
8
4
10
11
16
10
6
10
3
5
6
4
14
5
29
15
3
18
7
7
20
4
9
3
11
38
6
3
13
11
5
10
3
3
538
A can dida te n e ed s 270 E le ct or al C ol leg e V o te s (m ajori ty ) to w in the Pre sid en cy . *The D istrict o f
rd
C ol um bi a is a w ar d ed 3 E le ct or al C ol lege vo te s b as ed o n th e 23 A men d men t to the U .S . C on stitut io n.
Topical Outline
IV. What Role do Third Parties
Play in American Politics?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Serve as Political Safety Valves
Are Political Barometers of Change
Are Source of Innovation
Can Serve as Spoilers
Source: Richard J.
Hardy. Government
in America. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin,
1991. P. 275.
A. Safety Valves
Third or minor parties serve as safety valves
to allow disenchanted Americans to vent their
anger and blow off their political steam.
B. Barometers of Change
Third or minor parties are often barometers of
change. A strong electoral showing by a third
party sends a strong signal to the two major
parties. They spawn action.
C. Source of Innovation
Third or minor parties are often often policy
innovators. They often spawn ideas that are
eventually adopted by the two major parties.
D. Can Serve as Spoilers
While third or minor parties may not win many
votes, they can influence elections by preventing
one of the major parties from scoring victory in
close elections.
Topical Outline
V. What are the Differences
between Democrats and
Republicans?
A. Differences in core membership
B. Differences in public policy
A. Differences in Core Party
Identifiers

Core Democratic support by race, religion, education,
economic status and geography.

Core Republican support by race, religion, education,
economic status and geography.
B. Differences in Public Policy

Balancing Liberty (Freedom) with Equality.

Balancing Liberty (Freedom) with Security
(Order/Authority)
Equality
Liberty
Liberty
Security
Equality
Liberty
“Should the Government Increase Taxes on
the Wealthiest Americans?”
Liberals
Equality
Conservatives
Liberty
“Should the Government Increase Taxes on
the Wealthiest Americans?”
Liberals—Yes
Conservatives—No
Liberals
Equality
Conservatives
Liberty
“Should the federal government guarantee
all Americans health care?”
Liberals—Yes
Conservatives—No
Liberals
Liberty
Conservatives
Security
“Should the Congress extend provisions of
the Patriot Act?
Liberals—No
Conservatives—Yes
Liberals
Liberty
Conservatives
Security
“Should the government de-criminalize the
use of marijuana?”
Liberals—Yes
Conservatives—No
Liberal
Equality
Liberal
Liberty
Conservative
Liberty
Conservative
Security
Equality
Liberty
Liberty
Security
Equality
Liberty
Security
Equality
Liberal
Conservative
Liberty
Security
Equality
Liberal
Conservative
Liberty
Security
Equality
Democrats
Republicans
Liberty
Security
“All generalizations are false,
including this one.”
--Mark Twain
Topical Outline
VI. What Does the Future Hold
for Democrats and
Republicans?
Discussion
Agree or Disagree?
Comments?
Observations?
Questions?
Suggestions?
Predictions?