Political Parties Flashcards
Political spectrum
The range of political views
Partisanship
allegiance to a particular party
Plurality
in an election, the number of votes that the leading candidate obtains over the next highest candidate.
Bipartisan
Supported by two parties
Coalition
alliance of two or more parties to rule/ruin the government.
Consensus
general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions.
Incumbent
the current officeholder
Faction
A conflicting group
Spoils system
the practice of giving offices and other favors of government to political supporters and friends
Electorate
all of the people entitled to vote in a given election.
Federalists
those persons who supported the ratification of the Constitution in 1787-1788
Anti-federalists
Those persons who opposed the ratification of the Constitution in 1787-1788
Independents
Belong to no particular party
Pluralistic
made up of different cultures ad ethnic groups, but with the same political parties.
What are the 5 functions of the political parties?
- Nominating function: choose candidates
- Informer/Stimulator function: inform people of the issues and stimulate them to vote
- Bonding Agent function: ensures good qualifications and performance of their candidates; “seal of approval”
- Government function: ensures the cooperation of the legislative and executive branches (work together).
- Watchdog function: the party out of power “loyal opposition” watches over and criticizes the party in power.
What are the three types of political systems in the world?
Two party system: 2 major parties and several minor parties
Multi-party system: several major and several minor parties
One party system: no party system
List the 4 reasons why the USA uses a two-party system.
- Historical reason: started out with two parties (Federalists/Anti-Federalist)
- Traditional reason: Always been that way!
- Electoral system reason: our system encourages only two parties.
- American Ideological Consensus reason: Americans share the same political beliefs - Democratic Republic - We the People rule!
What is the major advantage and disadvantage of a multi-party system?
The advantage is more choices, the disadvantage is less stability.
List the factors that cause people to identify with a particular party.
- Family
- Major events
- Place of residence
- Level of education
- Age
- Type of work (blue or white collar)
- Economic status
What are the differences between the Democrats and the Republicans?
Democrats: (liberals) left wing
- Big government/regulation
- Big spending on social programs
- Higher taxes
- Government run health-care
- Anti-gun - 2nd amendment
- Alternative family - pro gay marriage
- Pro-choice/abortion
- Small military
- Open borders - immigration
Republicans: (conservative) right wing 1. Small government - less/regulation 2. lower taxes 3. favors small business 4. private health-care pro-gun - 2nd amendment Traditional family - anti gay marriage pro-life/anti-abortion large military closed borders - limit immigration
Which groups tend to align themselves with the Democrats?
African-Americans Hispanics Catholics and Jews Government workers (public) Blue collar workers (unions) Over 60 (older) Less educated/lower income Urban (city) Women Homosexuals
Which groups tend to align themselves with the Republicans?
Caucasians Asians Protestant Christians White collar workers Younger (yuppies) Higher educated/higher income Rural (country)
What are the 4 periods of the American Party?
1) 1800-1860 - Democrats ruled 13/15 presidents - *Civil War
2) 1860-1932 - Republicans ruled 14/18 presidents - *Great Depression
3) 1932-1968 - Democrats ruled 7/9 presidents - *Vietnam War
4) 1968-2008 - Republicans ruled 5/7 presidents - *Iraq War/Economic recession
What are the four types of Minor Parties?
- Ideological - based on a set of political beliefs - oldest (Socialist/Communist, Libertarian)
- Single-issue - based on one issue (Free-soil (anti-slavery), American (anti-immigrant), Pro-Life (anti-abortion), Prohibition (anti-alcohol)
- Economic protest - based on economic discontent - most short lived (Populist (anti-big business), Greenback (anti-gold), *Green (pro-environment, *Tea Party (anti-government debt)
- Splinter - when some famous person breaks away from a main party - most successful (Bull Moose (Theodore Roosevelt), Reform (Roos Perot), Rainbow coalition (Jessie Jackson)
