AMH-2097 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Party System
Document Summary
Political parties created democracy and modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of parties. An organization, with a public following, established to win elections, generally by promoting a set of principles. Founders hated parties: george washington: parties agitate the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindle the animosity of one part against another, forment occasionally riot and insurrection. Select candidates, champion ideas, mobilize voters, and inform members, potential members. Responsible party government- clear issues in the campaign, candidates support those issues, voters vote based on those issues, winning party enacts issues, and voters hold party accountable. Types of party: party in government (us house and us senate), party organization (democratic party), Party in the electorate (us, sign up for parties) Party in government: alliance of current officeholders who identify with the party, organization in congress (house senate) Party in organization: key function selection of candidates, takes place at party conventions, party platforms.
