Political parties are the backbone of American democracy, shaping elections and policy. They nominate candidates, mobilize voters, and organize campaigns. Parties also inform the public, facilitate collective action among officeholders, and establish policy when in power.

The U.S. has a long history of evolving party systems, from Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans to today's Democrats vs. Republicans. Party realignments occur when voters shift allegiances due to major social or economic changes, reshaping the political landscape.

Political Parties in the American Political System

Functions of political parties

• Nominate candidates for political office through primary elections or caucuses
• Mobilize voters to support their candidates in general elections by organizing rallies, canvassing, and get-out-the-vote efforts
• Organize and coordinate election campaigns by raising funds, developing campaign strategies, and creating advertisements
• Facilitate collective action among officeholders who share the party's label to advance the party's legislative agenda
• Inform and educate the public about political issues and the party's stance on these issues through party platforms, debates, and media appearances
• Organize the government and establish public policy when the party holds a majority in the legislative branch or controls the executive branch
• Engage in coalition building to broaden their support base and increase their chances of electoral success

Political parties vs interest groups

• Both political parties and interest groups aim to influence public policy by shaping legislation and regulations
• Political parties have a broad, comprehensive set of positions on a wide range of issues (economic policy, social issues, foreign policy), while interest groups focus on a narrow set of issues or even a single issue (environmental protection, gun rights)
• Political parties nominate and support candidates for political office in elections, while interest groups do not directly nominate or run candidates but may endorse or oppose candidates based on their alignment with the group's interests
• Political parties have a formal structure with leadership roles (national committee, state parties) and membership (registered party voters), while interest groups have a more fluid structure with members united by a common interest or goal (donors, activists)
• Political parties can directly control the government when their candidates win elections and hold office, while interest groups can only influence government indirectly through lobbying efforts and public pressure campaigns

Evolution of U.S. political parties

• First Party System (1792-1824): Federalists (strong central government, national bank) vs Democratic-Republicans (states' rights, limited federal government)
• Second Party System (1828-1854): Democrats (states' rights, opposed national bank) vs Whigs (strong federal government, economic modernization)
• Third Party System (1854-1890s): Republicans (opposed slavery expansion, economic modernization) vs Democrats (divided over slavery, became party of the South)
• Fourth Party System (1896-1932): Republicans (business interests, progressive reforms) vs Democrats (farmers, laborers)
• Fifth Party System (1933-1968): Democrats (New Deal, liberal policies) vs Republicans (initially opposed New Deal, embraced conservative policies)
• Sixth Party System (1968-present): Democrats (social liberalism, progressive policies) vs Republicans (social conservatism, free-market economics), increasing polarization on social, economic, and political issues
• Party realignment occurs when a significant portion of voters shift their party identification, often due to major social or economic changes

The Evolution of the Two-Party System

Evolution of U.S. political parties (continued)

• Realigning elections and critical junctures in U.S. political party history:
  1. 1800: Thomas Jefferson's victory marked the rise of the Democratic-Republicans
  2. 1828: Andrew Jackson's victory solidified the Second Party System
  3. 1860: Abraham Lincoln's victory led to the dominance of the Republican Party
  4. 1896: William McKinley's victory marked the beginning of the Fourth Party System
  5. 1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt's victory and the New Deal coalition shaped the Fifth Party System
  6. 1968: Richard Nixon's victory and the Southern Strategy marked the beginning of the Sixth Party System
• The two-party system's endurance in the United States:
  • Duverger's Law: Single-member districts and plurality voting (candidate with the most votes wins) tend to favor a two-party system
  • Institutional barriers to third-party success: Ballot access laws (requirements for third parties to appear on ballots) and campaign finance regulations (favoring major parties)
  • Historical instances of third parties influencing the political landscape: Progressive Party in 1912 (Theodore Roosevelt, pushed for social and political reforms), Reform Party in 1992 (Ross Perot, focused on fiscal responsibility and political reform)
• The electoral system in the U.S. reinforces the dominance of the two major parties

Party Dynamics and Voter Behavior

• Party identification: The psychological attachment of voters to a particular political party, often influenced by family, social groups, and personal experiences
• Party ideology: The set of core beliefs and values that shape a party's policy positions and overall political philosophy
• Party polarization: The increasing ideological distance between the two major parties, leading to more intense partisan conflict and gridlock in government