Political Parties Flashcards
5 functions of the political parties
- nominative function - choose candidates
- Informer / stimulator function: inform people of the issues and stimulate them to vote( share w/ media and special interest groups)
- Bonding Agent function - guarantee their candidate is worthy of the office “seal of approval”
- Governing function - ensures the cooperation between the legislative and executive branches
- watchdog function - the party out of power keeps an eye on the party in power
3 types of political systems in the world
- 2 party system
- Multi - party system
- One party system
4 reasons why USA uses a two party system
- historical basis - started out w/ two parties - federalist and anti-federalist
- Force of tradition - always been that way
- Electoral system ( single - member districts) our system encourages only two parties and Plurality ( the most) vs. Majority ( over 50
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantage - more choices
Disadvantage- less stablilityI
Factor that cause people to identify with a particular party
- Family
- Major events
- Genders
- Education
- Age
- Type of work - blue or white collar
- Economic status
Democrats
Democrats - (left - liberals / progressives) open to change
• favor Big Federal Government
• Government control social programs healthcare (Obamacare) aand welfare
• Higher taxes
• Anti - gun rights - restrictions
• Increase minimum wage
• Alternative family - pro - gay marriage
• Pro - choice/ abortion
• Small military
• Open borders - expand immigration
Hispanics, Catholics and Jews, college students, over 60, African Americans, homosexuals, urban
Republicans
- Favor small federal government
- Favors business - free market capitalism
- Lower taxes
- Pro individual rights
- Large military
- Closed borders - limit immigrationt
- caucasians
- Protestants ( evangelical Christians)
- White collars
- Private business workers
- Younge adults
- Asians
Why minor parties are important
- bring about new/fresh ideas
- Bring important issues to the people
- Serve as critics to the major parties
- Play the spoiler role in some elections
3 components of a party
- party organization - leaders
- Party electorate - constituency/ members
- Party government - office holders
4 periods of American party
- 1800- 1860 - Democrats ruled 13/15 presidents - Civil War
- 1860 -1932 - Republicans ruled 14/18 presidents - Great Depression
- 1932 - 1968 - Democrsftd ruled 7/9 presidents - Vietnam war
- 1968 - 2008 - Republican ruled 5/7 presidents - Iraq War/ Economic recession
4 types of minor parties
Ideological - based on set of political beliefs- socialist, communist, liberatarian
Single - issue -based on one issue- ani slavery, abortion, anti- immigrant, free soil
Economic protest- based off economic dissent -
Splinter-when a famous person breaks off from a major party - Theodore Roosevelt, Jessie Jackson, Ross Perot
