Are the two major political parties in the United States currently realigning themselves? Realignment or a realigning/critical election, has been defined by Walter Dean Burnham, as an event that occurs every 30-36 years. When realignment does occur, the political parties tend to reinvent themselves in order to stay relevant. They do this by adjusting their political party platforms while the country or the political electorate changes. Sometimes, however, it is the critical election that adjusts the way the voting behaves. For the most part, political scientists agree that the United States has had five party systems. The first party system somewhere between the creation of American political parties to the time of Democratic-Republican Party dominance (1789-1828). The second party system occurred during the height of the Democratic Party strength and the somewhat competitive Whig Party (1828-1860). The third party system took place with the emergence of the Republican Party and the election of Abraham Lincoln and lasted until the late 1890s (1860-1896). In fourth party system, the parties aligned themselves based on the economy, as Democrats became the party of unions and an agrarian mindset, while the Republicans captured big business and industry within their ranks (1896-1932). With the fifth party system, the Democrats took on the role of supporting the New Deal, while the Republicans opposed the FDR platform. From the time of the New Deal, Democrats have supported public policy solutions created by the federal government. Republicans supported solutions initiated by state governments. This party system has lasted since 1932 (1932-Present). The two major parties have continued to promote their party platforms from a federal vs. state government angle. Since both parties have not changed since 1932, what would it take for the American party system realign once again in a sixth party system?
-
Recent Posts
Tags
1972 2008 2012 2013 2014 2016 Ads Barack Obama Barry Goldwater Campaigns Centralists Congress Congressman Conservatism Conservative Constitution Party Debates Decentralists Democrat Democratic Party Dwight Eisenhower Economics Economy Election Elections Electoral College Federalism Foreign Policy Gary Johnson General Political Science George HW Bush George McGovern GOP Governor Green Party Hillary Clinton House of Representatives Independent Jill Stein Liberal Liberalism Libertarian Libertarianism Libertarian Party local Lyndon Johnson Media Midterm Mitt Romney nomination Political Communication Political Ideology Political Parties Political Socialization Politics Polling Presidency President Primaries primary Republican Republican Party Richard Nixon Rocky Anderson Ronald Reagan Roseanne Barr Secretary of State Socialist Third Parties third party United States Senate US Senate Vice-President Virgil Goode VotingArchives
- May 2015 (4)
- April 2015 (16)
- March 2015 (16)
- February 2015 (16)
- January 2015 (12)
- December 2014 (9)
- November 2014 (16)
- October 2014 (16)
- September 2014 (12)
- August 2014 (12)
- July 2013 (25)
- June 2013 (20)
- May 2013 (22)
- April 2013 (21)
- March 2013 (20)
- February 2013 (20)
- January 2013 (23)
- December 2012 (21)
- November 2012 (22)
- October 2012 (21)
- September 2012 (20)
- August 2012 (2)