Main Shafter Concepts: Chapters 1-4

Question 1

Shafer Chapter 1

Answer 1

1. High New Deal Era (1932-1938)
2. Major shift from Republican control to Democratic dominance (Party Balance)
3. Minimally polarized electoral politics, large polarizing institutional conflict between the President and Court (Ideological Polarization)
4. Focused on economic welfare in institutions with New Deal (Substantive)
5. (Policy making)- essentially/extremely Presidential

Question 2

Shafer Chapter 2

Answer 2

1. Late New Deal Era (1939-1968)
2. Institutionalization of Democratic advantage
3. Depolarized politics built around multiple factions/crosscutting coalitions
4. Expansion beyond welfare to foreign affairs/civil rights
5. Policy making process: coalition building/adjustment, “incrementalism”

Question 3

Shafer Chapter 3

Answer 3

1. Era of Divided Government (1969-1992)
2. Narrowing imbalance of partisan attachments
3. Growing polarization by party activists, not by elected officials
4. Policy making process: cross-partisan/cross-institutional negotiations.

Question 4

Shafer Chapter 4

Answer 4

1. Era of Partisan Volatility (1993-2016)
2. Stable balance with volatile electoral outcomes
3. Complete polarization with officials/activists
4. Policy making process: long stretches of stasis with spikes of activity similar to modern world politics.