Politics, Parties, and Elections in America

by Bibby, John F.

• ISBN13: 9780830415472
• ISBN10: 0830415475
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-08-10
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Packed with the latest research, POLITICS, PARTIES AND ELECTIONS IN AMERICA provides a comprehensive account of what political parties do, how they are organized, how party leaders behave, the functions of political parties and their limitations, the unique features of American political parties, and the impact of political parties within the American political system. The text is straightforward, presenting rigorous concepts and recent scholarship in a manner that students can readily understand. Its balanced and up-to-date coverage of political parties imparts practical knowledge of the realities of political life.

Table of Contents

Parties and Politics in America: An Overview	1	(24)
The Nature of Politics	4	(1)
The Nature of Party	5	(2)
The Functions of Parties	7	(8)
Parties as Competitors for Political Influence	15	(3)
Parties and Interest Groups: There Is a Difference!	18	(2)
Party Government and the Peaceful Transfer of Governmental Authority	20	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	21	(1)
Notes	22	(3)
The Party Battle in America	25	(42)
The First Party System, 1788-1824: Federalists, Republicans, and One Party Factionalism	27	(3)
The Second Party System, 1828-1854: Democrats versus Whigs in Two Party Competitive Politics	30	(2)
The Third Party System, 1856-1896: Ascendant Republicans versus Democrats	32	(2)
The Fourth Party System, 1896-1928: Republican Dominance Renewed	34	(4)
The Fifth Party System, 1932-1968: The Democratic New Deal Era	38	(3)
The Sixth Party System, 1968-?: The Post-New Deal Era---Weakened Partisanship, Candidate-Centered Politics, and Divided Government	41	(2)
Minor Parties in American Politics	43	(7)
Some Lessons from Party History	50	(11)
Parties in Decline?	61	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	62	(1)
Notes	63	(4)
Characteristics of the American Party System	67	(34)
Two Party Competition with Variations	69	(8)
Decentralized Power Structures	77	(11)
Broadly Based Electoral Support	88	(1)
Nonprogrammatic Parties	89	(7)
Quasi-Public Institutions with Ambiguous Membership	96	(1)
Weak Parties, But Substantial Partisan Influence	97	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	97	(1)
Notes	98	(3)
Party Organizations	101	(62)
The National Parties	106	(25)
State Parties	131	(12)
Country and Local Parties	143	(3)
Does Party Organization Make a Difference?	146	(1)
The Party Activists	147	(8)
Party Organizations: Adaptable and Durable	155	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	155	(1)
Notes	156	(7)
Nominations for State and Congressional Offices	163	(34)
The Evolution of the Direct Primary	165	(4)
State Regulation of the Direct Primary	169	(9)
Preprimary Endorsements	178	(3)
Competition in Primaries	181	(2)
Voter Turnout in Primaries	183	(5)
The National Party Organizations and Nominations in the States	188	(2)
The Direct Primary and the General Election	190	(1)
The Direct Primary and Political Parties	191	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	193	(1)
Notes	193	(4)
Presidential Nominating Politics	197	(50)
Methods of Delegate Selection	199	(6)
Phases of the Nomination Process	205	(17)
The Ongoing Process of Party Reform	222	(10)
Participation in Presidential Nominating Politics	232	(7)
Media Politics in Presidential Nominations	239	(2)
A Lengthy, Candidate-Centered, Primary-Focused, Participatory, and Media-Oriented Process	241	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	242	(1)
Notes	243	(4)
The General Election: Regulation and Campaign Strategy	247	(64)
Extending the Suffrage	249	(3)
Direct Election of the Senate	252	(1)
Party Column versus Office Bloc Ballot Forms	253	(1)
Financing Elections	253	(23)
The Electoral College	276	(10)
The General Election Campaign	286	(20)
The Campaign and Governance	306	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	306	(1)
Notes	307	(4)
Political Parties and The Voters	311	(66)
Voter Turnout	312	(10)
Party Identification	322	(5)
Candidates and Issues	327	(5)
Social and Economic Bases of Partisanship and Voting	332	(9)
Election Outcomes	341	(30)
Voters, Elections, and Control of Government	371	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	371	(1)
Notes	372	(5)
Parties in the Government	377	(60)
The President as Party Leader	381	(7)
The Party, the President, and Congress	388	(10)
The Party, the President, and the Executive Branch	398	(6)
The Party, the President, and the Judiciary	404	(2)
Parties in Congress	406	(25)
A Party-Influenced Government, But Not a Party-Dominated Government	431	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	432	(1)
Notes	432	(5)
A Concluding Note: American Parties---Distinctive, Durable, Adaptive, and Useful	437	(4)
Notes	440	(1)
Index to References	441	(4)
Index	445