Parties in the Canada and Parties in the Canada and the United Statesthe United States

Organization and StructureOrganization and Structure

The Department of Political The Department of Political Science PresentsScience Presents

The Effect of Partisan Stereotypes on the The Effect of Partisan Stereotypes on the Evaluations of Party Leaders?Evaluations of Party Leaders?

Dr. Amanda BittnerDr. Amanda BittnerDepartment of Political ScienceDepartment of Political Science

Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland

Friday February 6, 2009Friday February 6, 2009SN2033SN20332:30pm2:30pm

Debates: timingDebates: timing

ModeratorModerator:  :  Introduction   20 seconds Introduction   20 seconds

Opening argumentsOpening arguments Proponent 1  (2 minutes)Proponent 1  (2 minutes)

Opponent 1   (2 minutes)Opponent 1   (2 minutes) Rebuttal        Rebuttal       

Proponent 2  (1.5 minutes)Proponent 2  (1.5 minutes) Opponent 2   (1.5 minutes)Opponent 2   (1.5 minutes) Discussion and evaluation:Discussion and evaluation: Judge(s) plus rest of class (3-4 minutes)Judge(s) plus rest of class (3-4 minutes)

Broad picture:Broad picture:

Canadian & American parties as Canadian & American parties as coalitions of divergent interestscoalitions of divergent interests

Enlist divergent interests, regions in Enlist divergent interests, regions in hopes of hopes of Winning a parliamentary majority in CanadaWinning a parliamentary majority in Canada Capturing the Presidency in the United Capturing the Presidency in the United

StatesStates Do they fit any of these categories?Do they fit any of these categories?

Parties in CanadaParties in Canada

How can we describe them?How can we describe them? Are theyAre they

Cadre?Cadre? Mass?Mass? Catch-all?Catch-all? Cartel?Cartel?

How can we tell?How can we tell?

Some testsSome tests

How much party is there?How much party is there? Party on the ground?Party on the ground? Party in central office(s)?Party in central office(s)? Parties in parliament and provincial Parties in parliament and provincial

legislatures?legislatures? Parties in government: Parties in government:

is cabinet government party government?is cabinet government party government? what is the “partyness” of government?what is the “partyness” of government?

Some answers:Some answers:

Cadre as closest fitCadre as closest fit Skeletal structureSkeletal structure

But,But, Parties on the ground as intermittent Parties on the ground as intermittent

organizationsorganizations Parties in central office – minimalist Parties in central office – minimalist

organizationsorganizations Parties government:Parties government:

Legislative caucusLegislative caucus CabinetCabinet

Canadian parties and how they Canadian parties and how they developeddeveloped

1919thth century parties: century parties: Minimal formal organization Minimal formal organization Extensive and highly charged Extensive and highly charged

partisanshippartisanship Politics is patronage Politics is patronage People know each other and know who People know each other and know who

is a Conservative and who is a Liberalis a Conservative and who is a Liberal

2020thth Century Canadian Century Canadian PartiesParties

More formal organization:More formal organization: Conventions introduced by Liberals, 1919Conventions introduced by Liberals, 1919 Constituency associations as intermittent Constituency associations as intermittent

organizationsorganizations The informal party:The informal party:

Reliance on advertising firmsReliance on advertising firms William Lyon MacKenzie King as his own eyes William Lyon MacKenzie King as his own eyes

and earsand ears

Contemporary Canadian Contemporary Canadian partiesparties

Increased professionalizationIncreased professionalization Increased reliance on campaign Increased reliance on campaign

consultantsconsultants Profound separation – now legally Profound separation – now legally

mandated – between federal and mandated – between federal and provincial partiesprovincial parties

American parties:American parties:

Original structure:Original structure: Federations of state and local partiesFederations of state and local parties But also coalitions of divergent But also coalitions of divergent

interestsinterests Intense organization in some places – Intense organization in some places –

cf. old style city and statewide cf. old style city and statewide machinesmachines

Minimalist, loose organization in othersMinimalist, loose organization in others

National Party Organization National Party Organization 1820s-1970s1820s-1970s

Parties as confederations of state and local Parties as confederations of state and local parties parties come together every four years to select Presidential come together every four years to select Presidential

and VP candidatesand VP candidates National Committees as committees without National Committees as committees without

powerpower Parties in Congress:Parties in Congress:

House and Senate organized on partisan basis, with House and Senate organized on partisan basis, with party allocation of committee assignmentsparty allocation of committee assignments

But different wings and tendenciesBut different wings and tendencies And looser discipline: Congressmen and Senators often And looser discipline: Congressmen and Senators often

solosolo

From the 1970s:From the 1970s:

Growth of Political Action Growth of Political Action Committees (PACs)Committees (PACs)

Development of National Committees Development of National Committees as serious campaign organizationsas serious campaign organizations

Growing involvement of House and Growing involvement of House and Senate Campaign Committees in Senate Campaign Committees in each partyeach party

National CommitteesNational Committees

Republican National Committee (RNC) Republican National Committee (RNC) emerges as super PAC in 1970semerges as super PAC in 1970s RNC use of direct mailRNC use of direct mail Use of phone banks Use of phone banks Market researchMarket research Production of ads, flyersProduction of ads, flyers

Monitor & reviseMonitor & revise Democratic National Committee followsDemocratic National Committee follows

National Campaign National Campaign CommitteesCommittees

Encourage and support new Encourage and support new candidates candidates also freshmen (first term congressmen)also freshmen (first term congressmen)

Assist candidatesAssist candidates Assist state and local party Assist state and local party

organizationorganization No policy roleNo policy role

Parties as whole:Parties as whole:

Centre is stronger in each partyCentre is stronger in each party But parties still profoundly But parties still profoundly

decentralizeddecentralized Contain multiple centres of power:Contain multiple centres of power:

State and local partiesState and local parties Candidate-centred organization – Role of Candidate-centred organization – Role of

Campaign ConsultantsCampaign Consultants PACs as alternate centres of powerPACs as alternate centres of power Bastions of power in the House and SenateBastions of power in the House and Senate

Bottom line:Bottom line:

Neither cadre nor mass nor cartelNeither cadre nor mass nor cartel Traces of catch-all:Traces of catch-all:

Attempts to cast a broad netAttempts to cast a broad net Use of broad coalitional strategiesUse of broad coalitional strategies

These are parties with broad These are parties with broad horizontal bargainshorizontal bargains and loose and loose vertical bargainsvertical bargains

Parties as Parties as containers for conflictcontainers for conflict??

American partiesAmerican parties

Come together as coalitions to Come together as coalitions to capture the Presidency in the 1820scapture the Presidency in the 1820s Martin Van Buren’s ‘Democracy’Martin Van Buren’s ‘Democracy’

Republicans established in 1856Republicans established in 1856 Periodic realignments?Periodic realignments?

The RepublicansThe Republicans

After the civil war, the party of the After the civil war, the party of the north and eastnorth and east Represent urban areasRepresent urban areas Including both capital & LabourIncluding both capital & Labour

Opposed by Democrats based in the Opposed by Democrats based in the south & westsouth & west

Tendencies more pronounced after Tendencies more pronounced after 18961896

The DemocratsThe Democrats

Date, if not from Thomas Jefferson’s Date, if not from Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans to the 1820’sDemocratic-Republicans to the 1820’s Martin van Buren’s ‘Democracy’ elects Andrew Martin van Buren’s ‘Democracy’ elects Andrew

Jackson and then Van Buren to in 1828, 1832, Jackson and then Van Buren to in 1828, 1832, (Jackson) and 1836(Jackson) and 1836

Party splits in run up to the Civil WarParty splits in run up to the Civil War Close competitor to Republican’s until 1896Close competitor to Republican’s until 1896 Roosevelt coalition from 1928-32 to 1960s Roosevelt coalition from 1928-32 to 1960s

and beyondand beyond

Democrats and Republicans Democrats and Republicans todaytoday

Republicans move to the right from Republicans move to the right from the 1970sthe 1970s Impact of religious right, social Impact of religious right, social

conservativesconservatives DemocratsDemocrats

Move ‘left’ in 1970sMove ‘left’ in 1970s Back to centre, centre-left under ClintonBack to centre, centre-left under Clinton Today?Today?

Parties elsewhere:Parties elsewhere:

What about parties inWhat about parties in Latin America?Latin America? Africa?Africa? Asia?Asia? Eastern Europe?Eastern Europe?

Reminders:Reminders:

Paper topics were due two days ago, Paper topics were due two days ago, February 3rdFebruary 3rd

These should contain:These should contain: A brief statement of the topic as you propose to A brief statement of the topic as you propose to

define itdefine it A preliminary bibliography of sources you are A preliminary bibliography of sources you are

likely to uselikely to use Including a brief Including a brief annotationannotation of what you expect to of what you expect to

find in them or how you expect to use themfind in them or how you expect to use them

Party system maps due February 12thParty system maps due February 12th