POLSCI 242 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Eric Cantor, Party System, Rand Paul
8 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Political Parties
9.11 Lecture Notes
- Americans have a very unfavorable view of political parties
o Extremes
o Inability to work together – hard to compromise
o Compromise values
o Monopoly on political party
o The Founders hated the idea of the political parties
▪ Ex: Federalist 10 by Madison
▪ Ex: Jefferson
▪ But back then, they also had Federalists and Anti-Federalists
- Burke’s conception of parties – all about policy
o Under this, they will develop very distinct positions
- Herrnson’s conception of parties – multi-layered coalition
o Mutual goals and interlocking relationships
▪ Goals include electoral and policy
- Downs’ conception of parties – all about elections, about gaining office
o Under this, they will care about what people care about and adjust to people’s views
- Parties can be though of as non-governmental institution
o Extra legal – parties are not found in the Constitution
o Members can change or shape it to further their own ends
- Parties are endogenous institutions
o Created by ambitious politicians
o Contrasts with Congress – existed independently before members ever met
▪ Some procedures and structures cannot be changed
- Ex: Rand Paul was running for presidency and Senate at the same time in Kentucky
o Instead of changing Kentucky law
o Kentucky GOP changed the way they nominate candidates
▪ Changed the nomination date after the presidential election
Why parties?
- Electoral
- Policy
o To influence, you need a majority of seats in Congress
- Non-governmental institutions
- Origins
o Start in Congress
o 1828 presidential election
- Parties solve the collective action problem
o Collective benefit is gained by cooperation but individuals have a self-interest/incentive to
reach the Pareto inferior result
o Collective action in Congress need to solve collective action in elections
- Parties solve collective action problems
Calculus of Voting
- U = pb – c +d
- Are the benefits > costs?
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Document Summary
Burke"s conception of parties all about policy: under this, they will develop very distinct positions. Herrnson"s conception of parties multi-layered coalition: mutual goals and interlocking relationships, goals include electoral and policy. Downs" conception of parties all about elections, about gaining office: under this, they will care about what people care about and adjust to people"s views. Parties can be though of as (cid:498)non-governmental(cid:499) institution: (cid:498)extra legal(cid:499) parties are not found in the constitution. Parties are (cid:498)endogenous(cid:499) institutions: contrasts with congress existed independently before members ever met. Policy: to influence, you need a majority of seats in congress. Origins: start in congress, 1828 presidential election. Parties solve the collective action problem: collective benefit is gained by cooperation but individuals have a self-interest/incentive to reach the pareto inferior result, collective action in congress need to solve collective action in elections. Candidates and parties have a high interest in solving this problem.
