137a-u1aintroduction

8/10/2019 137a-U1aIntroduction

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UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION

Ware pgs. 1-6 and D/W pgs. 3-10


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Course Logistics: Information

Course syllabus, handouts, etc. can all be

found on the course website:

http://polisci2.ucsd.edu/ps137a/

NOTE: URL is case sensitive

My office hours and location

M/W 2:30-3:30 in SSB 445 ([email protected])


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Course Logistics: Objectives

Objectives:

Introduce students to the study of political parties

and party systems in comparative perspective.

Thematic Concepts: 1) Formation of political parties

2) Role of political parties

3) Evolving function of parties and consequencesfor democracy

4) Political parties and party system structure.


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Course Logistics: Course Grading

Participation -10%

Game Report -30%Midterm Examination -

30%Final Examination -30%


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Course Logistics: Participation

We will generally open each lecture with adiscussion of current events that tie into thematerial being presented.

Ill try to tweet articles prior to lecture. Twitter: ofse77

If you find something interesting, please feel freeto forward it to me.

Economist, Financial Times, BBC News are allgreat resources.

Some useful URLs are listed on the syllabus.


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Course Logistics: Papers

Game Report There will be four games played in class; you must write

on ONE of these games. Games connect to central logic of course readings.

Whether you win or lose in the games is irrelevant. Objective: see how the logic detailed in the readings works in

practice. Reports should be 4-5 pgs. in length.

Will be due one week after the game is played in class. Plan accordingly to avoid having two papers due in one

week. Midterm/Final Examination

Prompt will be distributed in class. Midterm may deal with subjects associated with the games.

Examinations should be 5-7 pgs. in length. Late papers/E-mail attachments are NOT accepted

without valid documentation.


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Course Logistics: Readings

Dalton and Wattenberg. Parties without Partisans. Mueller and Strom. Policy, Office, or Votes? Ware. Political Parties and Party Systems Reserve readings (electronic reserves). In general, read Ware chapters first.

Ware: Read section A; skim section B based on interest.

Readings are extensive; necessary for course assignments. Although the reading level is nothing compared to what you will do

in your graduate studies. You cannot do well on course assignments without doing the

reading. If you cannot commit to doing the reading you should not commit to

taking the course.

URL on syllabus for strategies for tackling academicreadings. Hint: Read for the general idea/argument.


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Guiding Questions

What are political parties?

What are interest groups?

Why do we care about politicalparties?

What do political parties do?

Are political parties in decline?


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What Are Political Parties?

Several authors posit various criteria including:

1) bring people together for the purpose of

exercising power within the state.

2) seek to use legitimate means for pursuingtheir ends.

3) will contest elections where able.

4) seek to represent more than a single interestin society.

5) group people with similar beliefs, values,

attitudes.


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What Are Political Parties?

Ware 1996

Political parties:

1) seek influence in a

state often byattempting to occupy

positions in

government

2) usually consist ofmore than a single

interest in society and

to some degree

attempt to aggregate

interests


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Political Parties vs. Interest Groups

Interest groups 1) primarily interested in advancing a single interest

or set of interests within a polity.

2) organized outside of the state; seek to influence

governments but generally. do not put forthcandidates for office.

Both political parties and interest groups areinvolved in interest articulation (expressingcitizen wants and needs).

Only political parties are interested in interestaggregation (combining citizen wants/needs tocreate coherent policy).


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Political Parties: Why Do We Care?

Political parties exist in most states regardless of regimetype.

Where parties are suppressed, their absence isgenerally temporary.

Parties play a critical role in democratic systems. Bryce (1921): parties are inevitable: no free country

has been without them; and no one has shown howrepresentative government could work without them

Schattschneider (1942): modern democracy is

unthinkable save in terms of political partiesAldrich (1995): political parties lie at the heart of

American politics

Muller (2000): European democracies are not onlyparliamentary democracies but also party

democracies


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Political Parties: Functions

If we buy the idea that political parties are

crucial for the functioning of democracy,

what do they do?

Key (1964) identified three functions that

political parties serve:

Parties as Organizations

Parties in Government

Parties in the Electorate


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Parties as Organizations

Parties as

organizations-

1) Recruit political

leadership 2) Train political

elites

3) Articulate political

interests

4) Aggregate

political interests


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Parties in Government

Parties ingovernment- 1) Create

governmental

majorities. 2) Organize

government.

3) Implement policyobjectives.

4) Organize dissentand opposition.

5) Ensuregovernmentalresponsibility.

6) Controladministration of


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Parties in the Electorate

Parties in the

electorate

1) Simplify choices

for voters. 2) Educate citizens.

3) Generate

symbols of

identification andloyalty.

4) Mobilize

participation


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Are Parties in Decline?

It is often stated that political parties are in decline. Lower rates of party membership Weaker turnout numbers

Rise of interest groups and social movementsarguably threaten the central role of party in terms

of interest aggregation (parties as organizations). Declining levels of partisan identification weakencentral role of party in fostering party loyalty andeducation voters (parties in the electorate).

Parties seem dominant in terms of dictating policy(parties in government).

Political parties as institutions are very responsiveto change. Some argue that political parties have responded by

insulating themselves from political backlash Others argue this opens the door to extreme parties.


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Next Unit

Theme:

Evolution and Development of Political Parties-Cadre

Parties

Readings:Aldrich, LaPalombara and Weiner, Neumann,

Duverger

Theme:

Evolution and Development of Political Parties-Massand Catch All Parties

Readings:

Kirchheimer, Epstein, Pizzorno

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