Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Write a brief essay on the role of political party in USA
Role of politics in democracy essay
The 5 roles of political parties
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Powerful. Representative. Influential. These are some of the various words that are utilized to describe how political parties have been and continue to be a dominating force in American politics. Political parties have established organization throughout society by creating a two party system, the Democrats and the Republicans, within institutions as well as the general public. Over the years, political parties have been an essential aspect of American politics and have given American citizens an opportunity to express their opinions. Political parties provide all eligible citizens the opportunity to participate in politics by selecting a party that best defines and implements their views. In addition, political parties play an important role in educating American citizens and encouraging them to vote. Political parties also allow America to sustain a democratic form of government, in which the people have a voice that matters. The formation of political parties has contributed to America becoming a democracy and has helped to ensure that America does not develop into a dictatorship. Therefore, political parties are beneficial for American politics and have a positive impact on society by uniting and organizing Americans with similar political viewpoints, mobilizing voters, and striving to maintain a democracy to protect America from a dictatorship. One reason political parties have a positive effect on American politics is that they unite and organize Americans that share similar viewpoints on a variety of political issues. Political parties allow Americans to select a party that demonstrates their personal values/beliefs and articulates their views on ways to overcome the issues facing America. Murray S. Stedman, J... ... middle of paper ... ...ospective Analysis (1981): 289-98. JSTOR. Web. 23 May 2014. Gershtenson, J. "Mobilization Strategies of the Democrats and Republicans, 1956-2000." Political Research Quarterly 56.3 (2003): 293-308. JSTOR. Web. 26 May 2014. Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert, and Spitzer. “Introduction: The Citizen and the Government” We The People 9th ed. New York, NY: W.W. Norton. 2013.10. Print. Karp, J. A., and S. A. Banducci. "Party Mobilization and Political Participation in New and Old Democracies." Party Politics 13.2 (2007): 217-34. Web. 26 May 2014. Stedman, M. S. "American Political Parties as a Conservative Force." Political Research Quarterly 10.2 (1957): 392-97. JSTOR. Web. 23 May 2014. Tavits, Margit. "Party Systems in the Making: The Emergence and Success of New Parties in New Democracies." British Journal of Political Science 38.1 (2008): 113-33. JSTOR. Web. 26 May 2014.
In the 1790s, soon after the ratification of the Constitution, political parties were nonexistent in the USA because President Washington feared they would drive the country apart. However, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, with their rivalling mental models, could not help but spark the division of the United States into the Democratic-Republican and Federalist parties. These parties, the Democratic-Republican wanting a small, local government system and the Federalist wanting a strong, powerful government system, turned citizens against one another and eventually led to the inimical Democratic and Republican parties of today. Hence, the formation of the original political parties in the United States is very significant. Political
Karp, Jeffrey A., and Susan A. Banducci. " Political Efficacy and Participation in Twenty-Seven Democracies: How Electoral Systems Shape Political Behaviour." British Journal of Political Science 38 (2008): 311-334. Cambridge Journals. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.
“Republican Party Platforms, Then and Now.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
A two-party system is a political system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compete effectively for control. As a result, all, or nearly all, elected officials end up being a member in one of the two major parties. In a two-party system, one of the parties usually holds a majority in the legislature hence, being referred to as the majority party while the other party is the minority party. The United States of America is considered to be a two-party system. A two-party system emerged early in the history of the new Republic. Beginning with the Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans in the late 1780s, two major parties have dominated national politics, although which particular two parties has changed with the times and issues. During the nineteenth century, the Democrats and Republicans emerged as the two dominant parties in American politics. As the American party system evolved, many third parties emerged, but few of them remained in existence for very long. Today the Democrats and Republican still remain as the dominant parties. These two parties hav...
Norris, P. (2005), Radical Right: Voters and Parties in the Electoral Market. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: http://www.langtoninfo.com/web_content/9780521849142_excerpt.pdf (Accessed: 8th December 2013).
The political incentives that spawned parties are transparent. In any system where collective choices are made by voting, organization pays. When action requires winning majorities on a continuing basis in multiple settings, organization is absolutely essential. The Constitution’s provisions for enacting laws and electing leaders therefore put a huge premium on building majority alliances across institutions and electoral units. Parties grew out of the efforts of political entrepreneurs to build such alliances and to coordinate the collective activity necessary to gain control of and use machinery of government. One of the incentives for building political parties is to build stable legislative and electoral alliances. To control policy consistently, then,
Political parties have several roles in government. They recruit, choose, and present candidates for public office. They inform and mobilize supporters through campaigns, defining issues, and even criticizing other candidates. Parties act as a bonding agent guaranteeing their candidate is worthy of office and will act according to their partisanship, or firm allegiance to a party. Most importantly they unite diverse interests and make collective action possible. Parties out of power act as a watchdog, keeping a close eye on the actions of the party in power for an error or indiscretion to use against them in the next election. (pg. 251-252)
Wattenberg, in the Decline of American Political Parties, 1952-1996 seeks to analyze and avail a scenario that illuminates the goings on in the American society. While he affords various reasons for the said decline in influence of the American political parties, the idea of conflict in races gains a prominent place in the discourse. While the author does not mention it, it is possible to state that the idea of diversity played a part in the decline of political parties in the mid to end of the 20th Century. The significance and place of this author within the contemporary society cannot pass without noticed. Martin Wattenberg is a prominent political scientist and professor; his opinions c...
The main goal of political parties is to get their candidate elected or allocated to public office. Parties want their elected representatives to make policy decisions that the party supports. Elections are composed out of the political process and party interests and ideas. Parties must be responsive to a specific set of principles. Parties often must get a large number of voters to agree on one singular issue or idea that supports the parties platform. Having a set of principles and a specific platform is how parties distinguish themselves from competing parties. Candidates are directly served by political parties however political parties are intended to serve all of their members. Political parties affect voter turn out because as a consequence of having a two party system majors parties try to attract the median voter. Democrats know that people on the far left are unlikely to vote Republican and the Republicans know that people on the far right are unlikely to vote Democrat. Strategically the best way to win an election is by trying to capture those represented by the median voter which are the people right in the middle. Moderating their message to attract the median voter can cause candidates to become less effective in addressing their political views. Consequently, this can then lead to
We live in a society where we as people can make our own decisions and voice our own opinions. People with the same or similar views will usually form a group or join a group together. These groups turn into political. Political parties as well as elections play a major role in politics all around the world. A political party is a gathering of voters sorted out to help make decisions and help decide what is best for the people. The point of a political gathering is to choose authorities who will endeavor to complete the gathering's strategies.
Political parties are a group of people who get together to win an election. Every political party has a certain political ideology. The two party system has reigned for a very long time. “In fact, since 1852, a candidate from the Republican or Democratic parties has placed either first or second in
A political party is an organization that has similar vision, opinions, and aims in term of politics point of view. Parties are likely seen as the tool and motor of the democracy in the nation as they could be the bridge to connect the civil society with the political agents. In the United States, parties have some functions and roles. For example, political parties have responsibility to recruit candidates for become the public officers, like governors and president. Hence, a party could gain control of the government. Besides, political party also works to gain voices from the society to support the candidate that run for the election.
The United States of America has two major political parties: the Republican party and the Democratic party. These political parties were formed and have existed due to their significant roles which include nominating and electing public servants, educating and mobilizing voting, and running the government (Maxwell et.al, 94). The political parties in the U.S. have three distinct characteristics that are found nowhere else in the world. These characteristic include pragmatism, decentralization and the two-party system (Maxwell et. al, 94). The three unique features make the political parties unique in all aspects of their roles and influence to the public.
“I have already intimated to you the danger of parties… and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of [political parties]” (George Washington, Farewell Address). The American government is corrupt. The use of political parties is the downfall of the country. Political Parties have been present in American politics since the country was first formed. In fact, one of the two major parties in America, the Democratic Party, is the oldest party to still exist in the world. Aside from the Democratic Party, the second biggest party in America is the Republican Party. These two parties have rivaled against one another since the beginnings of America. Each was originally formed based on the arguments and beliefs of the Federalists
In all democracies, citizens get together and choose their leaders through organized elections. Usually the process is deliberated between members of parties that embody a set of values around which average citizens center their beliefs depending on what these are. However, not all parties look or act the same in different types of political systems or even within the same one. Some are inclusive to those interested in joining them others are exclusive to a certain type of voter. Since a political party is an organized group of people who put in play their right to organize around a set of political goals and opinions, and seeks to change public policy to its advantage by getting