1. Linkage Institutions
Political Parties, Civil Society, Interest Groups, Electoral Systems & Elections

2. Almond’s Description Types of Interest Groups
Anomic: spontaneous groups spurred by a specific event. Often short lived, and potentially violent.
Nonassociational Groups: rarely well organized. Differ from anomic in that it is often a cultural trait that brings them together.
Institutional Groups: formal groups that have other social or political function. Usually highly organized and driven by specific interests. Examples: political parties and corporations.
Associational Groups: Groups that are specifically formed to represent one group. Trade unions and manufacture associations.

3. Linkage Institutions
Linkage Institutions – groups that connect the government to its citizens.
Political Parties
Civil Society
Interest Groups
Electoral Systems & Elections

4. Political Parties
Party System– the array of political parties operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them.

5. Political Parties
Party System– the array of political parties operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them.
1.) One Party System
many Communist nations have one-part systems; Mexico during the 20th century
Communist Party of China (CPC)
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)

6. Republican & Democratic Parties in the United States
Political Parties
Party System– the array of political parties operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them.
2.) Two Party System
rare; 15 countries world wide, including the United States
Republican & Democratic Parties in the United States

7. system that develops. Stay tuned…**
Political Parties
Party System– the array of political parties operating in a particular country and the nature of the relationships among them.
3.) Multi-Party System
most European countries; strong Parliamentary systems.
** Style of Election System is a major determinate in the type of party
system that develops. Stay tuned…**
Political Parties in British Parliament

8. Civil Society vs. Interest Groups
Civil Society– voluntary organizations outside of the government that help people define & advance their own interests.
May represent social class, religious, or ethnic interests.
May be apolitical
Help to check the power of the state and prevent the tyranny of the majority – the tendency to allow majority rule to neglect the rights and liberties of minorities.
In a global society, civil society can be nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
American Red Cross

9. Civil Society
A society in which people are involved in social and political interactions free of state control or regulation.
Community groups
Voluntary associations
Religious groups
Interaction through media
Internet a dominant force
Importance of group involvement?
Representations of interactions within societies
Interest groups
Political parties

10. Civil Society vs. Interest Groups
Interest Groups – organizations of like-minded people whose goal is to influence and shape public policy.

11. Types of Interest Groups
How much autonomy/independence from the government?
Transmission Belts – system where interest groups convey the message of the party elites.
Ex.) In China, only government-endorsed groups may exist
Interest Group Pluralism – completely autonomous interest groups, who select their own leaders & raise their own funds. (US/Britain)
Corporatism – system with one group representing each interest sector, state approved and protected.
State Corporatism – state determined
Neocorporatism – interest groups dominate the state.

12. Political Parties vs. Interest Groups
Represent political points of view of various people
Support a broad range of policies
Influence government through the election process
Parties run candidates for public office
Represent political points of view of various people
Support one or a few related policies
Support candidates, but do not run their own

13. Electoral Systems & Elections
Electoral System – the rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats in a legislature.

14. Candidate A wins w/ 25 votes
Electoral Systems
(1) Single-Member District Plurality Voting System (SMPD) - candidates compete for a single representative’s seat; winner is determined by who receives the most votes.
Also called First-Past-the-Post or Winner-take-all System
Ex.) United States and Britain
Criticisms: Not necessarily ‘representative’ of the voters
Duverger’s Law – a plurality rule election system tends to favor a two-party system. Parties (also called ‘catch-all’) develop ‘umbrellas’ to embrace a wide variety of voters.
Candidate A wins w/ 25 votes
However 75 votes were cast for other candidates – no representation

15. Electoral Systems
(2) Multi-Member Proportional Representation Voting System (a.k.a. Party-list Proportional Representation)
More than one legislative seat is contested in each district
Voters cast their ballots for a party rather than a candidate
The percentage of the votes a party receives determines how many seats they gain in the legislature.
Ex.) Italy and South Africa

16. Electoral Systems
(3) Mixed Systems – combines plurality and proportional representations.
Ex.) Mexico – Chamber of Deputies (Lower House)
300 of 500 seats are elected through winner-take-all system from single member districts
200 of 500 seats are selected by proportional representation

17. Types of Elections 1.) Election of Public Officials
Ex.) Presidential System – President is directly elected by the people to this position
Ex.) Parliamentary System – Prime Minister becomes head of government because he is the leader of the party with the most representatives in Parliament.

18. Types of Elections
2.) Referendum – a national ballot, called by the government on a policy issues which allows the public to make direct decisions about the policy itself.
Ex.) The Russian Constitution was put up for a referendum vote in 1993.
Ex.) In the U.S. we don’t have referendum votes on a national level, however it is done at a state/local level.

19. Types of Elections
3.) Initiative – a vote on a policy that is initiated by the people.
Ex.) Switzerland – allowed according to their constitution