The Functions of Political Parties

Politics and Political Parties

“A political party is a group of individuals who organize to nominate their own candidates, win elections, control government and influence public policy.”

What is a POLITICAL PARTY?

* Obviously, the TWO MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES in the United States are the DEMOCRATS and REPUBLICANS…

* “WHAT OTHER “MAJOR” POLITICAL PARTIES ARE THERE?”

* There are FOUR GENERAL FUNCTIONS that political parties serve in the United States:

FUNCTIONS of Political Parties

1.) …NOMINATE CANDIDATES, ORGANIZE the ELECTION PROCESS2.) …REPRESENT GROUP INTERESTS throughout society3.) …ORGANIZE GOVERNMENT and POLICY MAKING4.) …SERVE AS THE “WATCHDOG” for society

1.) They NOMINATE CANDIDATES, ORGANIZE the ELECTION PROCESS…

FUNCTIONS of Political Parties

* A political party’s “MOST BASIC GOAL is to nominate candidates… TO WIN ELECTIONS!”

(ELECTION ORIENTED, NOT principle oriented – WHY?)

* HOW DO PARTIES WIN ELECTIONS? 1.) RECRUIT POPULAR CANDIDATES (think nationally…)2.) PROVIDE MONEY to their campaign effort (2012 – House, 95% and Senate, 80%)3.) “FIND OUT WHAT VOTERS WANT AND PROMISE TO GIVE IT TO THEM!” (…and then govern accordingly IF they win)

2.) They REPRESENT GROUP INTERESTS throughout SOCIETY…

FUNCTIONS of Political Parties

* In the struggle for power, parties attempt to UNITE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE… form COALITIONS

(“discover what groups want, work to fulfill their desires”)

DEMOCRATS: …labor unions, Jews/Catholics, minorities, urban areas, youth and intellectuals (academia) – EDUCATION?

REPUBLICANS: …business, Protestant, white, suburban and rural areas – EDUCATION?

* By creating coalitions, parties SIMPLIFY POLITICAL CHOICES for voters at election time… (HOW? …imagine the alternative)

3.) They ORGANIZE GOVERNMENT and POLICY MAKING…

FUNCTIONS of Political Parties

* Once elections are over, parties help ORGANIZE THE COUNTRY’S GOVERNING INSTITUTIONS…

(“policy decisions emerge from party leader’s attempts to govern in the spirit of their party’s philosophy”)

4.) They SERVE AS THE “WATCHDOG” for public/society…FUNCTIONS of Political Parties

* Job is to MONITOR the OPPOSING PARTY IN POWER …relationship between major parties ensures that the party out of power “will keep a close eye on its opponent and notify the public of any wrongdoing or policy misstep!”