U.S. Government Political Parties
Faction
A conflicting group
What is a Political Party?
A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office.
Sectionalism
A narrow-minded concern for, or devotion to, the interests of one section of a country
One-Party System
A political system in which only one party exists
Pluralistic Society
A society which consists of several distinct cultures and groups
Multiparty
A system in which several major and many lesser parties exist, seriously compete for, and actually win, public offices
Coalition
A temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control a government
Ward
A unit into which cities are often divided for the election of city council members
Electorate
All of the people entitled to vote in a given election
Single-Member Districts
Electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office
What is a Major Party?
In American politics, the Republican and Democratic parties.
The National Chair Person
Leader of the national committee, manages the partys headquarters (serves 4 year term)
National Party Machinery
Nation convention, nation chair person, congressional campaign committees, nation comittee
What are the roles/functions of political parties?
Nominate candidates, rally their supporters, participate in government, act as a "bonding agent" for their own officeholders, and act as a watchdog over the other party.
Ideological Parties
Parties based on a particular set of beliefs, a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters
Economic Protest Parties
Parties rooted in poor economic times, lacking a clear ideological base, dissatisfied with current conditions and demanding better times
Single-Issue Parties
Parties that concentrate on onl one public policy matter
Splinter Parties
Parties that have split away from one of the major parties
Why were the Democrats the party in power between 1932 and 1968?
The Great Depression, the republican pres said the economy would fix itself, when it didn't the public elected FDR who made many jobs through the New Deal which helped improve the economy. Democrats had control until kennedy was assassinated then nixion took over (a republican)
Spoils System
The practice of giving office and other favvors of government to political supporters and friends
Precinct
The smallest unit of election administration; a voting district
What is the Primary Purpose of the two major American political parties?
To control government through winning election to public office
Split-Ticket Voting
Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election
Two-Party System
a political system dominated by two major parties
Minor Parties..
are united by a particular group of viewpoint, can sometimes be made from the brakeing away from a major party, and expresses discontent over the state of economy
Minor parties have contributed most to the U.S. politics by...
causing major parties to adopt their ideas
National Committee
chairperson- prepairing for the next convention campaigning, promoting party unity, raising money
The two-party system developed in the U.S. mainly because...
conflicts about the Constitution created opposing viewpoints
Incumbent
current office holder
A one-party system..
exhists in nearly all dictatorships today
Consensus
general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions
State Party Orginizations are..
generally loosely tied to the national comittee
Plurality
in an election, the number of votes that the leading candidate obtains over the next highest candidate.
National Convention
nominates presidental candidates and vice presidents, adopts party rules and create party platform for election
Minor Party
one of the many political parties without wide voter support
The Two-Party system was produced by...
our u.s. history and tradition, the electoral system, and the American ideological consensus
Most single-issue parties have been
short-lived
Partisanship
the strong support of a party and its policy stands
Peoplebelong to a particular political party...
voluntairly, because they made a personal choice
Congressional Campaign Committees
work to reelect incumbents, unseat incumbents in other party (2 year term)