1. Political Parties (Major & Third Parties)
AP Government: Mrs. Lacks

2. Political parties
Political parties are an essential component of republican government
What precisely is a political party?
An organization that sponsors candidates for public office under the organization’s name, label, title, or banner

3. Two-party system The US is a two-party system
Democratic
Republican
Most democracies have multiple parties

4. Multi-Party Systems Country: # of parties represented in legislature
Australia: 7
Denmark:11
Germany: 5
Guatemala: 11
Iceland: 5
Israel: 12
Turkey: 4

5. What parties do
1. Nominate candidates for public office to represent the party’s message

6. What parties do 2. Influence Policy
Members of the Senate and House of Reps are also members of political parties
Senators and MCs from each party often work together to create and pass laws that support their party’s platform

7. What parties do 3. Unite Government an organization/membership
federalism

8. What parties do
4. Create balance – majority and minority

9. What parties do 5. Inform citizens Run ads Distribute pamphlets
Post blogs
Give speech advice
Bc all this info is biased, citizens must seek other sources of info

10. In the beginning…
Our country has for most of its history been a two- party system, but not in the beginning
There is no mention of political parties in the Constitution

11. In the beginning… Federalist Paper #10
James Madison recognized the dangers inherent with factions (parties)

12. First political parties formed
Original parties
Federalists
Strong central govt
National bank
Adams, Hamilton
Democratic-Republicans
Stronger state govts
Jefferson, Madison

13. Two-party system Oldest continuous political party: Democrats
Started in 1820s
1st POTUS: Andrew Jackson
Second oldest continuous political party: Republicans
Started in 1850s after split of Whig Party
Founded as the anti-slavery party
1st POTUS: Abraham Lincoln

14. Realignment Elections
critical elections that produce a sharp change in existing patterns of party loyalty which last a prolonged period of time

15. Realignment Elections
1. Democratic Republican Thomas Jefferson beats Federalist John Adams in 1800
2. Democratic Andrew Jackson beats Democratic Republican John Quincy Adams in 1828
3. Republican Abraham Lincoln wins in 1860
4. Republican McKinley beats Democrat Bryan in 1896*
5. Election of 1932 – Democrat FDR breaks 72 years of Republican domination (holds for 20 years; until end of WWII)
Both candidates were new, new issues, voter alignment changed

16. Other possibilities
1968
1980
1992

17. Realignment Elections
Does not always refer to the executive
We see this with mid-term elections as well

18. Video Guide to Reps & Dems

19. Third Parties Third or minor parties DO exist in US elections
major 3rd party candidates that changed elections
Election of 1912: Teddy Roosevelt (Bull Moose or Progressive Party)
Election of 1992: Ross Perot (Independent Party)

20. Third Parties Why haven’t any won the presidency?
People think their vote won’t count
Electoral College works against them (must have 270 electoral votes to win); winner takes all
Not all third parties are listed in all states
Not all third party candidates are asked to participate in national debates
Its hard to raise as much money as the RNC or DNC

21. Third Parties Political scientists group them into 4 categories
Economic protest parties
Single issue parties
Ideological parties
Factional or splinter parties

22. Economic Protest Parties
Seek to accomplish that which changes an economic situation
Typically farmers and laborers
Examples:
Populist Party (1887 – 1908): mostly poor white cotton farmers in South and poor wheat farmers in the Midwest; supported bimetallism, etc.
Greenback Party (1874 – 1884): opposed the shift from paper money back to a coin-based monetary system because it believed that privately owned banks and corporations would then reacquire the power to define the value of products and labor

23. Single-Issue Parties
Champion a specific goal, focusing on nothing else
Examples:
Free Soil Party (mid-1800s): created to restrict the movement of American slaves into the western territories (goal became Republican, party dissolved)
Know-Nothing Party (mid-1800s): wanted to end immigration (Eastern European Catholics being the primary targets)
Prohibition Party (early 20th century)
Woman’s Suffrage Party (early 20th century)

24. Ideological Parties Typically longest lasting third parties
Never have come close to winning an election, but have existed over 100 yrs
Examples:
Libertarian Party (3rd largest party today)
Green Party
American Communist Party
American Socialist Party

25. Factional or Splinter Parties
Form when a major party implodes
When the Democratic or Republican party has broken into two sections it becomes weaker and is likely to lose the election (but you also know that many people have that ideology)
Examples:
Rep Party split (TR vs. Taft in 1912), Dem Wilson won
Dems split in 1948 (Dixiecrats formed), Rep Eisenhower won

26. Third Parties
Third parties are good because they remind the two major parties they need broad-based coalitions to win (aka be more moderate)