Party politics in America / Marjorie Randon Hershey ; foreword by John H. Aldrich.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hershey, Marjorie Randon.

Series:

Longman classics in political science

Longman classics in political science.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political parties--United States.

Political parties.

United States.

Physical Description:

xxiv, 360 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Edition:

Twelfth edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Pearson Longman, [2007]

Summary:

"Party Politics in America" analyzes three primary components of parties-party organization, party in the electorate, party in government-and the interaction of these components, especially during election campaigns. Originally written by Frank Sorauf and now authored by Majorie Hershey, the book integrates academic research with contemporary and historical examples to bring to life the fascinating story of how parties have helped to shape our political system.

Contents:

Part 1 Parties and Party Systems 1

Chapter 1 What Are Political Parties? 5

A Three-Part Definition of Parties 6

What Parties Do 10

The Effects of Party Activity 11

How Do Parties Differ from Other Political Groups? 12

How the American Parties Developed 13

The Emergence of a National Two-Party System 17

What Do the Parties Stand For? 20

Parties Are Shaped by Their Environment 22

Chapter 2 The American Two-Party System 26

The National Party System 27

The 50 State Party Systems 28

What Causes a Two-Party System? 31

Exceptions to the Two-Party Pattern 35

Will the Two-Party System Continue? 42

Part 2 The Political Party as an Organization 45

Chapter 3 The State and Local Party Organizations 47

What Is a "Strong" Party? 48

The Legal Environment of the Parties 48

Levels of Party Organization 49

The Legendary Party Machines 52

Local Party Organizations Declined and Then Rebuilt 54

The State Parties: Newfound Prosperity 58

Summing Up: How the State and Local Party Organizations Have Transformed 63

Chapter 4 The Parties' National Organizations 65

The National Parties 66

Other National Party Groups 68

Two Paths to Power 71

What Is the Impact of These Stronger National Parties? 77

The Limits of Party Organization 83

Chapter 5 Party Activists 84

What Draws People into Party Activity? 84

How Do Parties Recruit Activists? 91

What Kinds of People Become Party Activists? 94

Party Activists and Democracy 96

Part 3 The Political Party in the Electorate 99

Chapter 6 Party Identification 101

How People Develop Party Identifications 102

Patterns of Partisanship Over Time 104

Party Identification and Political Views 107

Party Identification and Voting 108

Party Identification and Political Activity 111

Party Identification and Attitudes Toward the Parties 112

The Myth of the Independent 113

Change in the Impact of Party ID 115

Chapter 7 Party Coalitions and Party Change 118

The American Party Systems 119

The Social Bases of Party Coalitions 123

Issues Are Central to the Parties' Coalitions 128

The Development of the Sixth Party System 130

Chapter 8 Who Votes-and Why It Matters 137

The Low Turnout in American Elections 138

The Expanding Right to Vote 139

Legal Barriers to Voting 140

The Special Case of Voting Rights for African Americans 141

Political Influences on Turnout 144

Turnout: Individual Differences 146

Why Isn't Voter Turnout Even Higher? 150

Why Do These Changes in Turnout Matter? 152

The Challenge to the Parties 153

Part 4 Parties, Nominations, and Elections 155

Chapter 9 How Parties Choose Candidates 157

How the Nomination Process Evolved 157

The Current Mix of Primaries and Conventions 159

Types of Primaries 159

Why Does the Type of Primary Matter? 161

How Candidates Qualify 162

What Parties Don't Like About Primaries 163

The Party Organization Fights Back 167

Candidates and Voters in the Primaries 168

The Impact of the Direct Primary 171

Chapter 10 Choosing the Presidential Nominees 174

The Move to Presidential Primaries 174

The Race to Win Delegate Votes 178

Voters' Choices in Presidential Nominations 183

On to the National Conventions 185

Who Are the Delegates? 188

How Media Cover Conventions 192

Do Conventions Still Have a Purpose? 193

Should We Reform the Reforms? 193

Chapter 11 The General Election 195

Elections: The Rules Affect the Results 196

Campaign Strategy 201

How Campaigning Has Changed 202

Do Campaigns Make a Difference? 209

Candidate-Centered or Party-Centered Campaigns? 212

Chapter 12 Financing the Campaigns 216

How Much Money Is Spent on Campaigns? 217

What Is the Impact of Campaign Spending? 223

Where Does the Money Come From? 225

Money in State and Local Campaigns 230

Reform of the Campaign Finance Rules 230

The Loopholes That Ate the Reforms 233

What Did the 1970s Reforms Accomplish? 238

Money in American Politics 243

Part 5 The Party in Government 245

Chapter 13 Parties in Congress and State Legislatures 248

How the Parties Are Organized in Congress 249

Methods of Party Influence 255

Party Influence on Legislative Voting 257

Comparing Party Power in Congress and State Legislatures 267

The Power of Legislative Parties 268

Chapter 14 The Party in the Executive and the Courts 270

President and Governor as Party Leaders 271

Party Leadership and Legislative Relations 274

Party Influence in Executive Agencies 276

Traces of Party in the Courts 279

The Party Within the Executive and the Judge 285

Chapter 15 The Semi-Responsible Parties 286

The Case for Responsible Party Government 287

The Case Against Party Government 288

Party Cohesion and Ideology 291

Ideology and the American Voter 296

When Is Party Government Most Likely? 300

Party Government and Popular Control 301

Chapter 16 The Place of Parties in American Politics 303

Parties and Their Environment 303

Party Decline in the 1960s and 1970s 305

Party Renewal 308

The Future of Party Politics in America 311

Conclusion: The Parties' Prospects 315.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 328-352) and index.

ISBN:

0321414918

OCLC:

63390442