POLI 319 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: January 30, Chinese Era Name, New Deal Coalition
13 May 2018
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Political Parties: introduction - January 30th
Political parties:
●Definition and distinction from interest groups
○Party: organization built to help candidates win elections and select them
■A set of leaders/political figures
●Facilitate collective action
●Facilitate policy making
○Once party leaders are elected, eases their legislative proposals onto the table
4 functions:
1. Recruit and nominate candidates
2. Help candidates win elections
3. Facilitate electoral choice
a. For voters who have a lot going on and don’t necessarily have the time to research into all
the candidates, parties help these people weed out those who don’t adhere to their beliefs
and vote for those who do (depending on whether or not you understand the parties)
4. Influence national government
History of American party systems
●No parties at first(!)
●5 or 6 party systems:
1. 1796-1824: Federalists vs Democratic-Republicans
a. George Washington resigns; election in 1796 (Adams/Jefferson)
b. People had to cast 2 votes, no one ran as P/VP
i. 1st place gets presidency
ii. 2nd place gets VP
c. 1800- Jefferson elected P ran with Burr, against Adams
i. There was a tie, in a case of a tie congress votes
ii. Eventually Jefferson was elected (after weeks of slow voting)
2. 1824-1860: Whigs vs Democrats [innovations in terms of party organization: national
conventions, etc.]
a. Adams v Jackson
b. Adams wins (son of John Adams)
c. Jackson is so hated by the electorate that a party forms to be anti-Jackson
3. 1860-1896: Republicans, the Civil War and Reconstruction
a. Lincoln
b. Democrats shift more towards domination of the southern states
c. Not very happy with the republicans in the south
4. 1896-1932: Change in composition of the Democratic Party
a. Wilson
b. Only won because of a split in the D Party
