Political Parties in American Society

In this comprehensive introduction to political parties, two of the country's foremost scholars combine the traditional PIE, PIG, PO approach with unique chapters on such issues as race and campaign finance. Throughout the book, the authors argue strongly in favor of the continued relevance of parties in the American political system and provide strong evidence that parties have adapted to the changing American political scene. Front Matter....Pages i-xxi Parties in Society: A Theoretical Overview....Pages 1-17 The American Party System Viewed Comparatively....Pages 18-42 The American Party System: Origins and Development....Pages 43-65 Third Parties in American Politics....Pages 66-78 The Public’s Support for the Parties....Pages 79-101 The National Organization of Our Parties: Revived and Relevant....Pages 102-123 State and Local Party Structures: Strengthened and Still Relevant....Pages 124-147 Party Activists: Working Elites with Organizational Links to the Masses....Pages 148-173 Parties and Leadership Recruitment....Pages 174-194 Presidential Nominations: The New Model....Pages 195-219 The Campaign Process....Pages 220-246 Money and Political Campaigns: The 1996 Debacle....Pages 247-278 Parties and the Election Process....Pages 279-304 The New Technologies: How the Parties Have Adapted....Pages 305-320 Parties and Governance: Making Divided Government Work....Pages 321-353 The Party System and the Race Problem....Pages 354-386 Change and Adaptation in the American Party System....Pages 387-412 Back Matter....Pages 413-426 Introduces how the party system works and explains why it is important, giving readers an understanding of the role of parties in the American political system. Argues that the party system is crucial to the functioning of a democracy, and shows how it has adapted to changes in American society. Discusses the importance of race and ethnicity in political parties, and looks at third parties, campaign finance, new technology, and divided government. In this comprehensive introduction to political parties, two leading scholars examine how the party systems works and why it is important, giving students a richer understanding of the role of parties in the American political system. An emphasis on regional variations in parties shows students how local needs impact party structure, and a systemic comparison with foreign systems adds a broader perspective on the American party system.