Political Parties “The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.” _—Seorge Washington in his farewell acess, 1797 Essential Question: How have individuals coalesced into organized political groups, and how do these groups influence policy? Pasiicat panies are organized groups of people who have-similar.political ideologies and goals and who work to have candidates elected to public office to represent those ideologies and goals. Political parties nominate candidates for office, create platforms that define their ideas and goals, register like-minded people to vote, and govern in hopes of implementing their desired public polioy. The parties make up one of the institutions that link the citizenry to the government. Two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, have dominated USS. politics for more than 150 years. Both of these coalitions operate in every state. Political parties began to develop in the aftermath of American independence. Like George Washington in his farewell address, most people agreed that parties were mischievous, The founders viewed political parties as factions driven by self-interest instead of by the desire to enhance the well- being of she nation, Yet it seems that when like-minded people desire certain policy changes in a democratic society, orgatiized parties. are the inevitable result. In this chapter, you will read about the history and development of the two-party system, how Republicans and Democrats operate today, and the role of minor parties in American politics. History of the Two-Party System ‘A national two-party political system began with the creation of the nation uring the Constitutional Convention. Leading Americans fell into two camps regarding the proposed Constitution: those who favored ratification and those ‘who opposed it. Those supporting the Constitution and backing a stronger national government took the name Federalists, while those opposed became Anti-Federalists. After the states ratified the document, these factions remained. Poumicat parties 105i | | Federalists kept their name, while those favoring less government and stronger states’ rights took the name Republicans, or Democrat-Republicans, ‘Since the beginning of the party system, two parties have dominated. At certain points, new parties have emerged and old ones have faded into the background. Additionally, large groups of voters have switched allegiance from one party to another over divisive issues or in times of crisis. These political realignments are changes “in underlying electoral forces due to changes in party identification,” according to the Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics. ‘They are marked by critical elections, those that reveal sharp, lasting changes in loyalties to political parties. A political realignment has occurred five times in USS. history, each realignment marking the emergence of a different party system. There are at least two types of realignments: (1) a party is so badly defeated it fades into obscurity as a new party emerges, or (2) large blocs of voters shift allegiance from one party to another. Politics and Party in Early America Parties began as loose caucuses of notable politicians connected by region. Federalist presidents George Washington and later John Adams became standard beazers of this national party. Seoretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilion also. contributed to. the party’s-growth. and philosophy. These Federalists generally believed in-a loose interpretation of the Constitution, and they encouraged the federal government to act strongly in the national interest. ‘They favored investing in roads, canals, and a national bank. ‘By 1800, growing numbers of people opposed the Federalists. In ‘Washington's cabinet, Thomas Jefferson stood philosophically against some of the administration's decisions. He began to rival Hamilton and later John ‘Adams. Jefferson believed in limited government, protection of civil liberties, and an emphasis on states’ rights. Though he is now regarded as the Father of the Constitution, James Madison joined Jefferson in the fight to maintain states’ rights. These, Jeffersonians called themselyes Republicans because... they believed they had to defend the republic created under the Constitution. ‘They also stood for democratic principles and eventually became known as Democrat-Republicans. ‘In aclose contest that marked the nation’s first realignment, the presidential election of 1800 placed Jefferson into the presidency. The Federalists never again elected another president. Instead, Jefferson, Madison, and then James Monroe governed with Jeffersonian principles over the course of six presidential terms, firmly planting the Jeffersonian philosophy into the national mindset. ‘The Federalist presence in Congress disappeared. Jacksonian Democracy After 24 years of Virginians dominating the presidency, the 1824 election served as another landmark. Many voters in the West (Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana at the time) and South wanted war hero and former congressman 106 _unireo stares GOVERNMENT AND POLITICSAndrew Jackson to become president, Multiple candidates entered this race, including John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay. With few defining issues, the campaign soon became @ battle of personalities. Jackson was the most popular candidate with the common voter but did not earn the required number of electoral votes, an outcome that forced the House of Representatives to clect the president. After a political deal that became known as the corrupt bargain, the House elected Adams. The halls of goverament in Washington had just hhanded the presidency to a candidate who came in second place in the popular vote. The “corrupt bargain” served as a rallying point for Jackson's supporters to develop the Democratic Party Jackson’s Coalition Jackson's Democratic Party was built from the bottom up rather than the top down. The party believed in limited government, ‘opposed the national bank, and generally accepted states’ rule on many issues, including slavery. The Democratic Party also wanted fewer government- + mandated laws and restrictions and greater freedom for the people. A strong coalition—a group united for a greater cause—united squarely behind Jackson and opposed Adams. By 1828, suffrage had expanded to give non-landowning males the right to | vote. Only two states that year, Delaware and South Carolina, chose electors vvia their legislatures. All others had allowed a popular vote, Jackson ran again. ‘and won. The tumout was very high. Three times as many voters cast ballots in 1828 as had in 1824. A realignment had taken place, and Jackson’s Democratic Party began to dominate, He advocated expanded suffrage and economic equality, and he opposed government intervention in state affairs. The party ‘won the White House in most elections until 1860. Whigs As the Jacksonian Democracy came to represent smaller western farmers and common voters, a loose collection of malcontents and fierce ‘Tackson opponents denounced his arrogance in office. Jackson thwarted many _s-of Congress’s initiatives and refused to enforce decisions made by the Supreme Court. Routinely vetoing Congress, he was dubbed King Andrew I~ =~ ‘The Adams-Clay fact?in-created a more formal party called the Whigs. ‘They chose this name to show that their beliefs matched those of the Eniglish ‘Whigs of the mother country. In the United States as in England, the Whigs ‘opposed autocratic rule, Alleging that Jackson had overstepped presidential “=boundaries, the Whigs tried to elect a presidential candidate on a platf national improvement. is ‘American’ Whigs favored expansioni, investment, arid Aggressive federal involvement in internal improvements. Led by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, the Whigs rose to prominence only to be outdone by the stronger Democratic arty. The Whigs did send two candidates to the White House—-William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor, both war heroes who likely cezried the election ‘more on personal following than on adherence to party ideology. From 1832, when the Democrats held their first national party convention, until 1860, the Democratic Party won the presidency in every election except two, poumicat paris 107