THE AMERICAN PARTY SYSTEM

Internet Exercise

Ace Practice Test


I. THREE FACETS OF U.S. PARTY SYSTEM

        A. PARTY IN THE ELECTORATE

        B. PARTY IN GOVERNMENT (House of Representatives) (Senate)

        C. PARTY AS ORGANIZATION

II. FUNCTIONS OF PARTIES

        A.COORDINATE ACTIONS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

        B. FOSTER RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT

        C. RECRUIT AND SUPPORT CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE

        D. STIMULATE INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS-STRUCTURE VOTING CHOICE

        E. COALESCE INTERESTS

        F. DEVELOP PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES

III. THE U.S. TWO PARTY SYSTEM

        A. CAUSES AND MAINTENANCE

            1. HISTORY, CUSTOM & TRADITION

            2. ELECTORAL SYSTEM

        B. EFFECTS OF TWO PARTY SYSTEM

            1. POLITICS OF MODERATION

            2. HARD TIMES FOR MINOR PARTIES

            3. CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES

        C. CHARACTERISTICS

            1. DECENTRALIZATION OF ORGANIZATION

            2. OPEN MEMBERSHIP

            3. PRAGMATIC ORIENTATION

            4. BROKER ROLE

            5. RECENT INTENSIFICATION OF PARTISANSHIP

        D. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTIES AND INTEREST GROUPS

IV. ALTERNATIVES TO PARTY POLITICS

        A. CANDIDATE BASED ELECTIONS

        B. ISSUE BASED ELECTIONS

        C. TEMPORARY AND CONFUSING LEGISLATIVE AND ELECTORAL

             COALITIONS

        D. INCREASED POWER OF INTEREST GROUPS

        E. INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA

        F. MASSIVE COSTS OF CAMPAIGNING

        G. DIMINISHED CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES

V. THIRD PARTIES IN AMERICA

        A. TYPES

            1.    IDEOLOGICAL PARTIES:  Socialist; Communist; Libertarian

            2.     ONE-ISSUE PARTIES:  Free Soil; Prohibiton

            3.     ECONOMIC PROTEST PARTIES:  Greenback; Reform

            4.     FACTIONAL PARTIES:  "Bull Moose"

        B. IMPACT ON U.S. POLITICS

            1.     SMALL VOTER SUPPORT (but some victories)

            2.     FORCING ATTENTION TO ISSUES  


Key Websites

International Journal of Party Politics

Ballot Access "News"

Directory of U.S. Political Parties

Republican Party National Committee

Democratic Party National Committee

Democrats & Republicans on the Issues

The Morality Gap