1. The “-isms” and the Parties January 31 st

2. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/ne ws/Satisfaction+with+Canadian+ democracy+hits+rock+bottom+su rvey+finds/7642812/story.html http://www.ottawacitizen.com/ne ws/Satisfaction+with+Canadian+ democracy+hits+rock+bottom+su rvey+finds/7642812/story.html http://www.idea.int/parties/international_ assistance/parties_necesseary.cfm

3. “Political parties are central to representative democracy and to the process of democratization. They connect society and the state. They aggregate and represent interests. They recruit political leaders. They disseminate political information. They socialise citizens into democratic politics. They manage conflicts of interest.... Democracy in the modern world is inconceivable without healthy parties… [They offer] meaningful choices to the electorate.” - Westminister Foundation for Democracy, 2004

4. Political Parties Group of people that nominate candidates and contest elections, seek to gain powers and control government Functions: – socialize, mobilize public – aggregate diverse interests and demands (bundle demands into packages) – recruit political leaders – oversee government, ensure accountability → bridge between government and citizens

5. Political Parties and the Democratic Ideals * support popular sovereignty by mobilizing participation, recruiting leaders, keeping government accountable * organize majority rule by aggregating diverse interests, structuring popular vote * help to represent minority interests * key to political competition How do we “design Democracy” to achieve these functions?? How do we embed these functions in institutions and processes?

6. On what basis do you choose a party to vote for? Ideology Party loyalty? Leader? Issues? Candidate (I don’t vote for the party)? Other strategic considerations?

7. Ideologies…. Seek to promote particular political and social order – action-oriented Have core concepts but can be quite flexible Ideologies reflect historical circumstances – constantly changing!

8. The Ideological Spectrum The Left -- Socialist The Right -- Conservative government regulation of the economy government regulation of the economy policies to help disadvantaged groups policies to help disadvantaged groups policies to redistribute income policies to redistribute income taxation appropriate to fund redistribution taxation appropriate to fund redistribution greater reliance on the market greater reliance on the market fewer government regulations fewer government regulations no special treatment for special interest groups no special treatment for special interest groups lower taxes lower taxes More Gov’t Less Gov’t Less Gov’t

10. What is your ideology? http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz_res ult?e=20&i=60_20.gif&p=60

11. Your Ideology Collectivism Individualism InequalityEquality

12. Party Ideology Collectivism Individualism InequalityEquality NDP Cons Liberals Republicans Tea Party Democrats http://www.teaparty.org/about-us/

13. Canadian Party Ideology Collectivism Individualism InequalityEquality Liberal Party Conservative Party of Canada NDP Republicans Democrats Tea Party

14. But, where do “cultural” issues fit in? e.g. abortion, same-sex marriage

15. Where do environmental issues fit in?

16. Do political parties in western democracies truly offer voters a choice? Tendency of parties to gravitate towards centre to capture the average voter – right-left tendencies breaking down? broad agreement on role of government? candidates separated more by style than ideology

17. Liberals and Conservatives in UK

18. Republocrats, Demopublicans, and Demicans

19. Liberals and Conservatives in Canada Policy differences more for electoral gain? e.g. environment

20. The Ideological Spectrum The Rise of Pragmatism The Left -- Socialist The Right -- Conservative Tony Blair (Britain) New Labour Bill Clinton (US) New Democrats George W. Bush (US) Compassionate Conservatism

21. Parties and Democracy Decline of ideological differences among parties might explain low voter turnout? Single member plurality systems encourage pragmatic parties – better able to construct majorities PR promotes ideological/interest parties – harder to construct majorities but good at opposition function!

22. Party Systems... Consist of the interactions of parties with each other and the overall political system influence manner in which parties perform their roles Single Party (gov’t=party) One-Party Dominant Two- Party Multi- Party US Mexico pre-2000 UKUSSR, Franco’s Spain, Egypt, China, Iraq Italy, Portugal Sweden, Norway Netherlands India Two-Plus Party Germany

23. But, ability of parties to aid democratic process dependent on…

24. Degree of Centralization Are internal procedures transparent? Do all party members participate? – procedures for choosing leader, candidate selection, party policies Iron law of oligarchy – all organizations eventually become dominated by small group of leaders (elites)

25. Participation in Policy-Making How democratic is the party internally? Role of parliamentary vs. extra- parliamentary party

26. How Parties Finance Themselves How dependent are parties on well-financed interest groups? – recent limitations but how strong?