Mr. Baumann’s Study Guide Chap. 7 – Political Parties OBJECTIVE: IN THIS CHAPTER WE EXAMINE THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN AMERICA AND WHY THEY ARE RELATIVELY WEAK TODAY COMPARED WITH THEIR STRENGTH DECADES AGO AND WITH POLITICAL PARTIES ABROAD. KEY QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: 1. WHAT DID THE FOUNDING FATHER’S BELIEVE ABOUT POLITICAL PARTIES? 2. HOW HAS AMERICA’S TWO-PARTY SYSTEM CHANGED OVER THE PAST CENTURY AND A HALF? 3. HOW DOES IT DIFFER TODAY FROM THE PARTY SYSTEMS OF OTHER REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACIES? 4. TO WHAT EXTENT HAS THE DECLINE OF MASS ATTACHMENT TO THE TWO MAJOR PARITES AFFECTED HOW AMERICANS VOTE? 5. IS THE FUTURE OF THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM INCREAINGLY SHAKY OR VIRTUALLY ENSURED? INTRODUCTION AMERICA’S POLITICAL PARTIES ARE THE OLDEST IN THE WORLD, BUT THEY HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST 150 YEARS BECAUSE THE LAWS AND RULES UNDER WHICH THEY OPERATE HAVE TAKEN AWAY MUCH OF THEIR POWER AT THE SAME TIME THAT MANY VOTERS HAVE LOST THEIR SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO PARTY IDENTIFICATION. (149) PARTIES – HERE AND ABROAD DEFINE: POLITICAL PARTY – A GROUP THAT SEEKS TO ELECT CANDIDATES TO PUBLIC OFFICE BY SUPPLYING THEM WITH A LABEL OR IDENTIFICATION BY WHICH THEY CAN BE KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC. 1. IDENTIFY THE THREE POLITICAL ARENAS WHERE POLITICAL PARTIES MAY BE FOUND. ANSWER: 1. AS A LABEL IN THE MINDS OF VOTERS 2. AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT RECRUITS AND CAMPAIGNS FOR CANDIDTATES 3. AS A SET OF LEADERS WHO TRY TO ORGANIZE AND CONTROL THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT 2. IDENTIFY WHICH POLITICAL ARENAS HAVE GROWN WEAKER IN THE PAST 50 YEARS AND EXPLAIN THE REASONS: ANSWER: 1. AS A LABEL, FEWER PEOPLE IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH A PARTICULAR PARTY AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IDENTIFY AS “INDEPENDENTS” OR WITH “NO PREFERENCE.” 2. ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BECOME DRAMATICALLY WEAKER PROBABLY DUE TO STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS . 3. IDENTIFY THE SEVEN FACTORS WHY ARE EUROPEAN PARTIES SO STRONG COMPARED WITH OURS. ANSWER: 1. THE FEDERAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN THE USA DECENTRALIZES POLITICAL AUTHORITY AND THUS DECENTRALIZES POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. 2. MOST OF THE IMPORTANT GOVERNMENTAL DECISIONS WERE MADE AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS, SUCH AS REGARDING EDUCATION, LAND USE, BUSINESS REGULATION AND PUBLIC WELFARE. 3. MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT JOBS WERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THIS MEANT THAT THE POLITICAL PARTIES HAD TO FOUCS ATTENTION ON WHO CONTOLLED CITY HALL, NOT CAPITAL HILL. 4. FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATION 5. CANDIDATES ARE NOT SELECTED BY THE PARTY IN THE USA, BUT THROUGH PRIMARY ELECTIONS. 6. IN EUROPE, WITH MOSTLY PARLIMENTARY ELECTIONS, THE WINNING PARTY GETS TO SELECT THE PRIME MINISTER OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE. WHEREAS IN THE USA, THE PRESIDENT IS INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED. 7. CABINET MEMBERS CANNOT HOLD TWO POSITIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT, SO THE PRESIDENT CANNOT CONTROL LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS THROUGH HIS APPOINTMENTS. POLITICAL CULTURE 4. DESCRIBE HOW THE ATTITUDES AND TRADITIONS OF AMERICAN VOTERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEIR EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS. (152) ANSWER: IN AMERICA, POLITICAL PARTIES RARELY PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE LIFE OF AN AVERAGE CITIZEN. BY COMPARISON, IN EUROPE, LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WILL JOIN A PARTY, PAY DUES AND ATTEND REGULAR MEETINGS. IN THE USA, WE TEND TO KEEP OUR PERSONAL LIVES ENTIRELY SEPARATE FROM OUR POLITICAL AFFILIATION. THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE POLITICAL PARTY (152) THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTY CAN BE SEPARATED INTO FOUR PERIODS. 5. IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE THESE FOUR PERIODS. 1. THE FIRST PERIOD IS KNOWN AS THE “FOUNDING.” DURING PERIOD FROM 1799 TO 1820, THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM WE KNOW TODAY WAS FORMED. THE FIRST TWO PARTIES WERE KNOWN AS THE REPUBLICANS (TODAY THE DEMOCRATS) AND THE FEDERALISTS. THOMAS JEFFERSON LED THE REPUBLICANS AND ALEXANDER HAMILTON LED THE FEDERALISTS. THESE TWO MEN ORGANIZED THEIR RESPECTIVE POLICIES BECAUSE THEY STRONGLY OPPOSED EACH OTHER’S VIEWS ON THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AND THE ROLE OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT. THESE INITIAL PARTIES WERE MAINLY LOOSE CAUCUSES OF POLITICAL NOTABLES, WITH NEW ENGLAND LARGELY FEDERALIST AND THE SOUTH LARGELY REPUBLICAN. BY 1800, WITH THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON AND SOME APPEASING EFFORTS BY JEFFERSON, THE FEDERALIST PARTY BEGAN TO WEAKEN AND WAS VERY WEAK BY 1820. 2. THE SECOND PERIOD, KNOWN AS THE JACKSONIAN PERIOD, EMERGED ABOUT 1824 WHEN JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WAS CHOSED AS PRESIDENT BY CONGRESS EVEN THOUGH ANDREW JACKSON HAD MORE OF THE POPULAR VOTE. THE PERIOD LASTED UNTIL 1860. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS GREW DRAMATICALLY AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION BECAME A MASS PHENOMENON. ELIGIBLE VOTERS NOW INCLUDED ALL WHITE MEN, REGARDLESS OF WEALTH OR CLASS. THE CAUCUS SYSTEM OF NOMINATING THE PRESIDENT, HAVING CAUCUSES COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS NAMINATE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BECAME UNPOPULAR AND DISCREDITED IN THE 1824 ELECTION (SEE ABOVE), AND PARTY CONVENTIONS TO SELECT THE PRESIDENT BEGAN AS A WAY OF ALLOWING FOR SOME MEASURE OF LOCAL CONTROL OVER THE NOMINATING PROCESS. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, THE WHIG PARTY EMERGED TO OPPOSE ANDREW JACKSON AND CHALLENGE THE REPUBLICANS. 3. THE THIRD PERIOD BEGAN DURING THE RUN-UP TO THE CIVIL WAR AND CONTINUED UNTIL 1930. WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE WHIGS AND THE REPUBLICANS COULD NOT STRADDLE THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY, THE OLD PARTIES DIVIDED AND NEW ONES EMERGED. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE WHIGS EMERGED INTO A NEW REPUBLICAN PARTY WHILE THE FORMER “REPUBLICANS” BECAME KNOWN AS THE “DEMOCRATS.” THE SPLIT HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE ORGANIZATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES, FOR IT MEANT THAT MOST STATES WERE NOW ONE-PARTY STATES WITH THE NORTH EMERGING AS PRIMARILY “NEW” REPUBLICAN AND THE SOUTH VIRTUALLY ENTIRELY DEMOCRAT (CALLED “SECTIONALISM”). YET THERE ALSO EMERGED TWO MAJOR FACTIONS WITHIN EACH PARTY. ONE WAS COMPOSED OF PARTY REGULARS, THE “STALWARTS” OR OLD GUARD AND THE OTHER THE “MUGWUMPS” OR PROGRESSIVES OR REFORMERS. 4. THE REFORM ERA BEGAN IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY WHEN PROGRESSIVES BEGAN TO PROMOTE MEASURES TO REPLACE NOMINATING CONVENTIONS WITH PRIMARY ELECTIONS BECAUSE THE FORMER WERE MANIPULATED BY PARTY BOSSES AND FOSTERED CORRUPT ALLIANCES BETWEEN PARTIES AND BUSINESSES. THEY ALSO WANTED STRICT VOTER REGISTRATION LAWS TO PREVENT VOTER FRAUD. 6. IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRESSIVE CHANGES TO PARTY POLITICS. 1. A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN POLITICAL CORRUPTION. 2. MADE “BOSS RULE” MUCH MORE DIFFICULT 3. POLITICAL PARTIES WERE LESS ABLE TO HOLD OFFICEHOLDERS ACCOUNTABLE 4. POLITICAL PARTIES WERE LESS ABLE TOA SSEMBLE THE POWER NECESSARY FOR GOVERNING 5. CONGRESSIONAL PARTY LINES BEGAN TO GROW FAINTER 6. CONGRESSIONAL PARTY LEADERSHIP GREW WEAKER DEFINE: STALWARTS – A PARTY REGULAR, PRE-OCCUPIED WITH PARTY MACHINERY, DEVELOPING PARTY LOYALTY, AND ACQUIRING AND DISPENSING PATRONAGE (JOBS AND OTHER FAVORS) FOR THEMSELVES AND FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. THEIR PRIMARY INTEREST WAS WINNING AN ELECTION THROUGH PROMISES OF PATRONAGE, ORGANIZATION, NEGOTIATION, BARGAINING AND COMPROMISE. DEFINE: PATRONAGE – GIVING JOBS AND OTHER FAVORS (OFTEN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS) TO THEMSELVES AND FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. DEFINE: MUGWUMPS – A PARTY MEMBER WHO OPPOSED PATRONAGE, DISLIKED PARTY MACHINERY, FEARED THE INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS AND WANTED THE PARTY TO TAKE UNPOPULAR POSITIONS ON ISSUES. THEIR PRIMARY INTEREST WAS PRINCIPLE. THE NATIONAL PARTY STRUCTURE TODAY (157) AMERICAS TWO-PARTY SYSTEM REMAINS STRONG, BUT 7. EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY IT HAS EVOLVED IN THE PAST THIRTY YEARS ANSWER: SINCE THE INVENTION OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND WITH IT THE ABILITY TO TRACK PARTY MEMBER ACTIVISM AND INDIVIDUAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ON A LARGE SCALE, THE PARTIES HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A FUND-RAISING BUREAUCRACIES LARGELY DEVOTED RECRUITING AND TRAINING CANDIDATES, GIVING THEM LEGAL AND FINANCIAL ADVICE, STUDYING ISSUES AND ANYLYZING VOTING TRENDS AND CONDUCTING NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. DEFINE: NATIONAL CONVENTION – THE PARTY MEETING EVERY FOUR YEARS TO NOMINATE A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. DEFINE: NATIONAL COMMITTEE –THE PARTY MANAGEMENT BETWEEN ELECTIONS MADE UP OF DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE AND TERRITORY. DEFINE: CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE – THE GROUP OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HELPS CANDIDTES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR REELECTION OR WOULD-BE MEMBERS RUNNING FOR AN OPEN SEAT OR CHALLENGING A CANDIDATE FROM THE OPPOSING PARTY. DEFINE: NATIONAL CHAIRMAN – THE MANAGER OF THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE, WHO IS ELECTED BY COMMITTEE. DEFINE: RNC – REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE DEFINE: DNC – DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE DEFINE: SOFT MONEY – FUNDS TO AID PARTY ADVERTISING AND POLLING RATHER THAN PARTICULAR CANDIDATES OFTEN SHIPPED TO STATE PARTY ORGANIZATIONS TO RUN ADVERTISING THERE. NATIONAL CONVENTIONS (159) 8. DESCRIBE HOW A CANDIDATE IS NOMINATED AT A NATIONAL CONVENTION. ANSWER: THE NATIONAL CONVENTION IS WHERE A CANDIDATE IS NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT BY CONVENTION DELEGATES. THE DNC AND THE RNC ESTABLISH THE RULES FOR SELECTING AND ALLOCATING DELEGATES TO THE CONVENTION. THEIR RULES FOR SELECTING AND ALLOCATING HAVE UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS TO WEAKEN THE CONTROL BY LOCAL PARTY LEADERS AND INCREASE THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES. DELEGATES ONCE SELECTED BY PARTY LEADERS ARE NOW CHOSEN BY PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND GRASSROOTS CAUCUSES. A MAJORITY OF DELEGATE VOTES AT THE CONVENTION ARE REQUIRED FOR NOMINATION. DELEGATES, NOT SUPERDELEGATES, WHO ARE PLEDGED TO A CANDIDATE IN A PRIMARY MUST VOTE FOR THAT CANDIDATE. DEFINE: SUPERDELEGATES – PARTY LEADERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO BECOME DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN IN PRIMARIES OR CAUCUSES. STATE AND LOCAL PARTIES (161) 9. IDENTIFY THE TWO EXTREMES OF STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: ANSWER: 1. POLITICAL MACHINES 2. IDEOLOGICAL PARTIES 10. DESCRIBE A POLITICAL MACHINE AND EXPLAIN THE FOUR REASONS WHY IT HAS LOST POLITICAL CLOUT OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS. ANSWER: A POLITICAL MACHINE IS A PARTY ORGANZATION THE RECRUITS ITS MEMBERS BY THE USE OF TANGIBLE INCENTIVES SUCH AS MONEY , POLITICAL JOBS, OR SOME OTHER WAY TO GET FAVORS FROM GOVERNMENT. THEY WERE TYPICALLY WELL ORGANIZED, BUT FRAUDUENT. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE INFAMOUS TAMMANY HALL IN NEW YORK CITY (LED BY BOSS TWEED). THEIR POWER WAS GRADUALLY CURTAILED BY: 1.