THE EVOLUTION OF AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES

Framers' Non-Partisan System (1789-1792)

First Party System (1796-1816)

Democratic-Republicans (↑) vs. Federalists (↓)

(agrarian/labor) commercial/financial)

         (mostly South & “West”) (Northeast & especially N.E.)

Congressional Caucus nominating system

Era of Good Feelings and One-Party Factionalism (1820-1828)

collapse of Federalist Party

collapse of Congressional Caucus

Second Party System (1832-1852)

                          Democrats vs. Whigs (Nat. Reps.+ Anti-Masonic)

        (agrarian and lower-class) (commercial and upper-class)

largely non-sectional

rise of mass parties and campaigns

origins of party organization based on patronage

greatly increased franchise and turnout

creation national nominating convention

extensive third party activity (and fusion)

Civil War Disruption (1856-64)

                 Democrats (↓) vs. Republicans (↑) (Whigs + Free Soil)

                    (pro-South) (North)

Third Party System (1868-1892)

Democrats vs. Republicans

(agrarian + labor + immigrants) (commercial/industrial)

(South plus some North) (most of North)

very close and high-turnout elections from 1874 onward

frequent divided government

after 1876, consolidation of “Solid South”

rise of political machines based on patronage

highpoint of party-dominant nominating politics

introduction of Australian ballot and anti-fusion laws

Fourth Party System (1896-1928)

Democrats vs. Republicans

agrarian plus immigrants) (commercial/industrial)

(South plus some West and some cities) (Northeast)

maximal sectionalism

black disenfranchisement in the Jim Crow South

rise of Progressive political reforms

voter registration, primaries, initiative and referendum, etc.

decline of voting turnout

rise of “mixed system” of nomination (with Pres. primaries)

political machines begin to decline

Fifth (New Deal) Party System (1932-1968)

Democrats vs. Republicans

(labor/ethnic/urban plus South) (business and upper-class [outside of South])

class based politics (outside of South)

New Deal vs. anti-New Deal

increased turnout

civil rights movement and cracks in the old “Solid South”

conflict between “reformers” and “bosses”

origins of mass media campaigns, etc.

Sixth (Dealigned) Party System (1972-?)

Democrats vs. Republicans

(“liberals”) (“conservatives”)

(pro-New Deal remnant) (anti-New Deal remnant)

(“pro-choice”) (“pro-life”)

(great majority of non-whites) (majority of whites)

largely non-sectional but low (and declining?) turnout

rise of social/cultural issues

migration of white Southerners from Dem ==> Rep

increased ideological cohesion of parties in government

weaken party identification and “affect” in electorate

candidate-centered politics and media campaigns

era of divided government

rise of candidate-oriented Pres. nominating politics