PSC 311 Notes
1/13/2023 What are Political Parties? Part I
1. While we, just as the founding fathers did, may despise one or both of
the major parties, or the idea of parties in general, parties are an
essential institution. A representative democracy is not feasible
without them.
2. What is a political party?
a. Intermediary: elected officials. The role of political parties is to
translate preferences that you find in the population into
governmental policies
i. A link between government and the population
ii. Transmits preferences
b. Organization: outside of government, organize conventions for
the party
c. The voters
3. What is the role of a political party?
a. Represent shared interests
b. Elect candidates to enact policies
c. Common criticisms of political parties:
i. Too polarized, only listen to certain parts of the population,
do not enact positive change for the well-being of the
entire population
4. Political Identities in US in 2016
a. 29% Dems, 26% GOP, 42% Independents (of this 42%, 16% are
leaning Dem, 14% are leaning GOP, 12% remain neutral).
5. Returning to the founding fathers, important fundamental documents
on political parties are found through the Federalist Papers, a series of
essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay.
1/18/2023 What are Political Parties? Part II
1. Federalist Papers
a. Debate about ratification of the Constitution 1787-1788
b. Anti-Federalists: critical of powers of new federal government
c. Federalists: in favor of strong federal government
d. Bill of Rights: to ensure that the federal government will not be
too powerful: a compromise of the Federalists and Anti-
Federalists
2. Federalist 10: Factions
, a. Parties v. “will of the people”: a small and overly influential
group will make all of the decisions in government that results in
contradicting the will of the people
b. Solutions under Federalist 10: eradicate sources of factions and
eradicate the effects of factions.
3. What are some parallels between Madison’s view of parties and
today’s criticisms of parties?
4. Farewell Address: Washington worries that parties will undermine the
Constitution. How?
a. Gridlock: legislation unable to be passed because rival parties
control different parts of the government. I.e, House and Senate
controlled by different parties, or by a different party of the
president.
b. Dishonesty
c. Is that an effect of parties?
5. Why is cynicism about parties potentially counterproductive?
6. “Inevitable Party”
a. Party Reform Goals of the last century:
i. Decrease polarization between political parties.
ii. Increase participation, not just in government but also
within the party (i.e., primary elections)
iii. Decrease the power of parties (i.e., increasing participation
takes away power from leadership in deciding their
nominee)
b. Party Reform Effects:
i. Little impact on polarization
ii. Parties have adapted to an increase in participation. They
have become even more influential rather than being
influenced
iii. Examples:
1. California’s Proposition 14 (ending closed primaries)-
one of the few states that doesn’t have partisan
primaries. Democrats and Republicans run in the
same primaries and the top two go to the general
election (can result in one party running against
themselves).
2. Nebraska has a non-partisan legislature- only
state that has a nonpartisan legislature. Candidates
do not run identifying with a party
3. Campaign finance reforms
4. Direct primaries (example: WI)
c. Example 1: Nebraska Non-Partisan Legislature and Polarization
i. Non-Partisan legislature since the 1930s
2
1/13/2023 What are Political Parties? Part I
1. While we, just as the founding fathers did, may despise one or both of
the major parties, or the idea of parties in general, parties are an
essential institution. A representative democracy is not feasible
without them.
2. What is a political party?
a. Intermediary: elected officials. The role of political parties is to
translate preferences that you find in the population into
governmental policies
i. A link between government and the population
ii. Transmits preferences
b. Organization: outside of government, organize conventions for
the party
c. The voters
3. What is the role of a political party?
a. Represent shared interests
b. Elect candidates to enact policies
c. Common criticisms of political parties:
i. Too polarized, only listen to certain parts of the population,
do not enact positive change for the well-being of the
entire population
4. Political Identities in US in 2016
a. 29% Dems, 26% GOP, 42% Independents (of this 42%, 16% are
leaning Dem, 14% are leaning GOP, 12% remain neutral).
5. Returning to the founding fathers, important fundamental documents
on political parties are found through the Federalist Papers, a series of
essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay.
1/18/2023 What are Political Parties? Part II
1. Federalist Papers
a. Debate about ratification of the Constitution 1787-1788
b. Anti-Federalists: critical of powers of new federal government
c. Federalists: in favor of strong federal government
d. Bill of Rights: to ensure that the federal government will not be
too powerful: a compromise of the Federalists and Anti-
Federalists
2. Federalist 10: Factions
, a. Parties v. “will of the people”: a small and overly influential
group will make all of the decisions in government that results in
contradicting the will of the people
b. Solutions under Federalist 10: eradicate sources of factions and
eradicate the effects of factions.
3. What are some parallels between Madison’s view of parties and
today’s criticisms of parties?
4. Farewell Address: Washington worries that parties will undermine the
Constitution. How?
a. Gridlock: legislation unable to be passed because rival parties
control different parts of the government. I.e, House and Senate
controlled by different parties, or by a different party of the
president.
b. Dishonesty
c. Is that an effect of parties?
5. Why is cynicism about parties potentially counterproductive?
6. “Inevitable Party”
a. Party Reform Goals of the last century:
i. Decrease polarization between political parties.
ii. Increase participation, not just in government but also
within the party (i.e., primary elections)
iii. Decrease the power of parties (i.e., increasing participation
takes away power from leadership in deciding their
nominee)
b. Party Reform Effects:
i. Little impact on polarization
ii. Parties have adapted to an increase in participation. They
have become even more influential rather than being
influenced
iii. Examples:
1. California’s Proposition 14 (ending closed primaries)-
one of the few states that doesn’t have partisan
primaries. Democrats and Republicans run in the
same primaries and the top two go to the general
election (can result in one party running against
themselves).
2. Nebraska has a non-partisan legislature- only
state that has a nonpartisan legislature. Candidates
do not run identifying with a party
3. Campaign finance reforms
4. Direct primaries (example: WI)
c. Example 1: Nebraska Non-Partisan Legislature and Polarization
i. Non-Partisan legislature since the 1930s
2
