A
group of persons
who seek to control
government
through the
winning of
elections and the
holding of public
office.
 Major
party –
United states has
two major parties,
the Republicans
and Democrats
 Minor party- any
political party that
is not Democrats or
Republicans
Who not to be
 Parties
are the major
mechanism behind
the development of
broad policy and
leadership choices.
 The vital link
between the
governing and the
governed.
A
firm allegiance to a political party.
 Party Politics- Voting for bills, candidates,
ideas based almost strictly upon the
request of the party.
• Democrats vote with President Obama
• Republicans voted with President Bush
 They each voted against the opposing party.
 Party
in Power – the political party that
controls the executive branch
 Just
because we have 2 main parties does
not mean they are both in position to
become the party of power.
• Some states always vote Republican
 Examples?
• Some states always vote Democratic
 Examples?
 Federalists
vs. Anti-Federalists
• Hamilton vs. Jefferson
 Once
established, human institutions are
likely to become self-perpetuating.
 Because that’s how it started, that’s how it
is going to stay.
 People accept the idea of a two party
system simply because that is how it has
always been done.
 Single-member
districts- contests in
which only one candidate is elected to
each office on the ballot.
• Winner take all elections
• Plurality- the person that gains the most of votes,
regardless of how many votes are controlled,
takes office.
 This does not need to be a majority.
 Single-member
districts discourage
minor parties… why?
 You can either vote for the winner or the
losers, so naturally, most people will vote
for a person that has a chance of winning.
 Most voters think a vote for a minor party
is a wasted vote.
 Much
of electoral law is purposely
written to discourage non-major party
candidates.
• One of the few instances where bipartisanship is
encouraged and enacted.
 Both republicans and democrats working together.
 In
many states it is far more difficult for a
minor party to even be listed on the
ballot.
 Bush
and Gore in 2000 were on every
ballot for President.
• No other candidates were on every ballot.
• Only 7 times has a non party candidate made it
on every states presidential ballots.
 Eugene
Debs was the first to make it on
all ballots.
• Socialist candidate.
 More
recently Pat Buchanan was on 49
ballots, Ralph Nader was on 43 ballots
 Americans, over
time, have shared many
of the same ideals, the same basic
principles, and the same patterns of
belief.
• Pluralistic society – One consisting of several
distinct cultures and groups.
• Increasingly the members of various ethnic ,
racial, religious, and other social groups
compete for and share in the exercise of political
power.
 The
two party system is simple.
 Our society is filled with examples of a
winner vs. loser mentality… good vs. evil,
right vs. wrong, Steelers vs. Ravens.
• Americans want a Super Bowl not the BCS
 The
easiest way to go from a have-not to
a have is to join the other side.
 In
nearly all dictatorships today, only one
political party is allowed.
• A one-party system is in essence a no party
system.
A
one party system allows for the ruling
power to become the only voice that can
be heard.
• All other voices are silenced.
One Party
Systems where
only one party is
allowed.
Example:
Dictatorships such as
Stalinist Russia
Modified One-Party
Systems where one
party regularly wins
most elections
Example:
Republican North and
Democratic South until the
1950s.
Family
Major events
Economic Status
Religion
Occupation
Age
A
system in which several major and
many lesser parties exist, seriously
compete for, and actually win, public
office.
• Various parties are based on particular interest,
such as economic class, religious belief, and
political ideology.
• Many countries in Europe use this model.
• Downfalls?
 Parties
must form coalitions in order to
become elected and pass laws.
• A coalition is a temporary alliance of several
groups who come together to form a working
majority and so to control a government.
The Era of the Democrats, 1800—1860
– Democrats dominate all but two presidential elections.
– The Whig Party emerges in 1834, but declines by the
1850s, electing only two Presidents.
– The Republican Party is founded in 1854.
The Era of the Republicans, 1860—1932
– Republicans dominate all but four presidential elections.
– The Civil War disables the Democratic Party for the
remainder of the 1800s.
The Return of the Democrats, 1932—1968
– Democrats dominate all but two presidential elections.
– Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected President four
times.
The Start of a New Era: The Era of Divided Government
Since 1968, neither Republicans nor Democrats have dominated the presidency and
Congress has often been controlled by the opposing party.
1968–1976
Republicans hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by Democrats
1976–1980
Democrats hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by
Democrats
1980–1992
1992 – 2000
Republicans hold the presidency
Democrats hold the presidency
Senate controlled by Republicans 1980Congress controlled by
1986, controlled by Democrats from 1986 to Republicans, 1994 to present
1994
2000
Republicans hold the presidency
Congress is controlled by
Republicans
Types of Minor Parties
Ideological
Parties
Single-issue
Parties
Economic Protest
Parties
Based on a
particular set
of beliefs.
Based on one
specific
publicpolicy
matter.
Do not have a
specific set of
goals, rather just a
voice of economic
discontent.
Example:
Free Soil
Party
Example: The
Greenback Party
Example:
Libtertarian
Party
Communist
Party
US Marijuana
Party
Tea Party
Splinter Party
Those parties that
split away from a
major party to
form a small party
Example: “Bull
Moose” Progressive
Party
“Spoiler Role”

Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away
from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially
if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party.
Critic

Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often
take stands on and draw attention to controversial
issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.
Innovator

Often, minor parties will draw attention to important
issues and propose innovative solutions to problems.
If these proposals gain popular support, they are
often integrated into the platforms of the two major
Party
Components
The Party
Organization:
The Party in the
Electorate
The Party in
Government
Those who run and
control the party
machinery.
Those who always or
almost always vote
for party candidates.
Those who
hold office in
the
government.