A federal system is a system in which: a) Authority and sovereignty are retained at the top of the political ladder (one level of government) b) There are two levels of government, yet sovereignty remains in the hands of the states or provinces (loose association of provinces or states) c) There are two levels of government of rather equal jurisdiction

A federal system is a system in which:

a) Authority and sovereignty are retained at the top of the political ladder (one level of government)

b) There are two levels of government, yet sovereignty remains in the hands of the states or provinces (loose association of provinces or states)

c) There are two levels of government of rather equal jurisdiction

In parliamentary systems , the symbolic and managerial functions of the executives are in the hands of: one person? two individuals? More than two?

In parliamentary systems , the symbolic and managerial functions of the executives are in the hands of:

one person?

two individuals?

More than two?

-Lecture VI- INTEREST GROUPS AND POLITICAL PARTIES

Pluralism: Multiple, competing elites determining public policy through bargaining and compromise Individual choice and rationality: rational individuals will act upon their self-interests Accordingly, people join interest-groups because they know that it is in their interest to do so Individuals know that they will be better represented and have more political influence if they join a group

Multiple, competing elites determining public policy through bargaining and compromise

Individual choice and rationality: rational individuals will act upon their self-interests

Accordingly, people join interest-groups because they know that it is in their interest to do so

Individuals know that they will be better represented and have more political influence if they join a group

Interest groups and Political Parties The formal government is not enough to represent all public opinions Interest groups and political parties are two instruments to supplement the formal structures Process of political demands/communicating public beliefs, attitudes, and values Share significant characteristics, yet are relatively different

The formal government is not enough to represent all public opinions

Interest groups and political parties are two instruments to supplement the formal structures

Process of political demands/communicating public beliefs, attitudes, and values

Share significant characteristics, yet are relatively different

Politics as “who does what and who gets what” in a society Political process and outcome are not simply the result of a majority rule, but instead of group competition and conflict “ Ex Uno, Plures”

Politics as “who does what and who gets what” in a society

Political process and outcome are not simply the result of a majority rule, but instead of group competition and conflict

“ Ex Uno, Plures”

INTEREST GROUPS: Collections of individuals who share common beliefs, attitudes, values, or concerns Shared concerns: nuclear weapons, gun control, air/water pollution, wages, gender equality, to more trivial concerns Individuals in the group believe they can win something out of it

Collections of individuals who share common beliefs, attitudes, values, or concerns

Shared concerns: nuclear weapons, gun control, air/water pollution, wages, gender equality, to more trivial concerns

Individuals in the group believe they can win something out of it

Interest groups are able to communicate their opinion more effectively than individuals themselves (national Riffle Association; American Medical Association) Formal representatives cannot represent their constituents on all the issues that interest them Ex.: the NRA will provide an alternative representation structure for these people to voice their concern and act

Interest groups are able to communicate their opinion more effectively than individuals themselves (national Riffle Association; American Medical Association)

Formal representatives cannot represent their constituents on all the issues that interest them

Ex.: the NRA will provide an alternative representation structure for these people to voice their concern and act

Anti-smoking laws?

Interest Group Pressure Group Used interchangeably? Pressure group: subset of interest-group organized for the aim of political lobbying Pressure groups support any candidate who will pledge to support their cause

Interest Group Pressure Group

Used interchangeably?

Pressure group: subset of interest-group organized for the aim of political lobbying

Pressure groups support any candidate who will pledge to support their cause

“ Why the French Love their Farmers” Gordon, de Boisgrollier

Importance of the French farming lobby in France: impact in international and European economic decisions (tariffs and PAC) 3.6% of the French population/20% 20 years earlier Unions and protests through the FNSEA and the Confederation Paysanne (role of Bové) Support of most parties and of president Chirac Wide support of the population (gastronomic traditions, attachment to non-genetically modified and fresh products, and suspicion towards globalization) Attachment to rural traditions and need to preserve farms and farmers

Importance of the French farming lobby in France: impact in international and European economic decisions (tariffs and PAC)

3.6% of the French population/20% 20 years earlier

Unions and protests through the FNSEA and the Confederation Paysanne (role of Bové)

Support of most parties and of president Chirac

Wide support of the population (gastronomic traditions, attachment to non-genetically modified and fresh products, and suspicion towards globalization)

Attachment to rural traditions and need to preserve farms and farmers

Interest groups Political Parties

Interest groups Political Parties

POLITICAL PARTIES Permanence/level of organization INTEREST POLITICAL Breadth of issues GROUP PARTY Goals

Permanence/level of organization

INTEREST POLITICAL

Breadth of issues

GROUP PARTY

Goals

Where do parties come from? Factions/groups of legislative supporters (T. Jefferson and the Democrats/ Hamilton and the Federalists) Labor movements: party seeking to influence labor policy (interest-group) and take political control Ex.: the British Labor Party was originally an interest group National Liberation movements Ex.: India’s Congress party

Factions/groups of legislative supporters (T. Jefferson and the Democrats/ Hamilton and the Federalists)

Labor movements: party seeking to influence labor policy (interest-group) and take political control

Ex.: the British Labor Party was originally an interest group

National Liberation movements

Ex.: India’s Congress party

Variance and Number of Political Parties Ideology Political culture Electoral laws Party-systems (from unique to multiple parties) Mass/cadre parties

Ideology

Political culture

Electoral laws

Party-systems (from unique to multiple parties)

Mass/cadre parties

System of Voting Representation? Single-member district? Leads to stability and encourages the development of two-party systems, hides minorities and often generates situations where minorities do not have any representation Proportional representation? Facilitates multipartism, ensures that everyone has representation, yet can lead to instability

Single-member district? Leads to stability and encourages the development of two-party systems, hides minorities and often generates situations where minorities do not have any representation

Proportional representation? Facilitates multipartism, ensures that everyone has representation, yet can lead to instability

Internal Party Organization: Highly unified / divided (coalition of factions) “Democratic organizations” allowing for intra-party competition / undemocratically structured and centered around the personality of the party leader (ex.: Front national around the personality of Le Pen)

Highly unified / divided (coalition of factions)

“Democratic organizations” allowing for intra-party competition / undemocratically structured and centered around the personality of the party leader (ex.: Front national around the personality of Le Pen)

Role of Parties Individual party organization Political system Number of party Degree of party discipline Ideology Constituency ROLE OF PARTY

Individual party organization

Political system

Number of party

Degree of party discipline

Ideology

Constituency

Functions of Political Parties: Generate political leaders Help organize political groups Shape and transmit political demands to the government Reference and guiding point to the part of the electorate unaware of the complex political world (labeling) Political development and recruitment (regeneration of the political arena) Framework to mobilize the electorate (get out the vote and participation) Contribute to the national unification of the country

Generate political leaders

Help organize political groups

Shape and transmit political demands to the government

Reference and guiding point to the part of the electorate unaware of the complex political world (labeling)

Political development and recruitment (regeneration of the political arena)

Framework to mobilize the electorate (get out the vote and participation)

Contribute to the national unification of the country

What do elections do? Influence parties by sending them a message (feedback) Educative function Provide legitimacy For the government (representation) Influence policies by selecting individuals that will exercise power Create governments Offer the public choice among parties, candidates, governments, policy preferences Choosing Representatives PURPOSE OF ELECTIONS

ELECTORAL SYSTEMS Degree of choice between parties and candidates (Who and what parties can be elected?) Who can vote?

Degree of choice between parties and candidates (Who and what parties can be elected?)

Who can vote?

What Parties? Open/Highly No choice Competitive System Italy Singapore Kenya Austria Tanzania (one party)

What Parties?

Open/Highly No choice

Competitive

System

Italy Singapore Kenya

Austria Tanzania (one party)

What Candidates? Choice No Choice Israel USSR

What Candidates?

Choice No Choice

Israel USSR

Types of Election: 1) Competitive 2) Dominant-party 3) Candidate-choice 4) Acclamatory

1) Competitive

2) Dominant-party

3) Candidate-choice

4) Acclamatory

1) Competitive Choice between different parties (from 2 to over 12) Yet, voter can have choice of candidate (Japan) or not (UK)

Choice between different parties (from 2 to over 12)

Yet, voter can have choice of candidate (Japan) or not (UK)

2) Dominant-party elections: Have the choice on paper between several parties, yet not in reality (no free election). Reasons: Intimidation process when vote is not anonymous (Haiti) Fraud or corruption keeping the dominant party on power (Philippines under Marcos; 1988 Mexican elections?) Ability of the dominant party to present itself as the best voting alternative, for instance through nationalist propaganda (the Congress Party of India)

Have the choice on paper between several parties, yet not in reality (no free election). Reasons:

Intimidation process when vote is not anonymous (Haiti)

Fraud or corruption keeping the dominant party on power (Philippines under Marcos; 1988 Mexican elections?)

Ability of the dominant party to present itself as the best voting alternative, for instance through nationalist propaganda (the Congress Party of India)

3) Candidate Choice: One permissible political party Choice between several candidates among the same political party Ex.: In Kenya, choice is possible only among the several candidates of the Kenyan African National Union Party (KANU)

One permissible political party

Choice between several candidates among the same political party

Ex.: In Kenya, choice is possible only among the several candidates of the Kenyan African National Union Party (KANU)

4) Acclamatory Elections: No choice between parties and political candidates Ex.: 1,500 members of the Supreme Soviet ran uncontested, selected by the Communist Party

No choice between parties and political candidates

Ex.: 1,500 members of the Supreme Soviet ran uncontested, selected by the Communist Party

Legal Constraints Affecting Electoral Behavior: Some regimes outlaw opposition parties Regulations about who can be a candidate: Ex.: age criterion for candidacy (25 for the House and 30 in the Senate); residency requirement; gender, race, or ethnicity requirements… Regulations about how campaigns are to be run: Ex.: fund-raising and campaign advertising rules Which parties can compete: Ex.: minimum number of individuals needing to sign a petition; monetary deposits needed from parties before elections; deadline to respect for participating (rules aiming at discouraging “non-realistic” parties)

Some regimes outlaw opposition parties

Regulations about who can be a candidate:

Ex.: age criterion for candidacy (25 for the House and 30 in the Senate); residency requirement; gender, race, or ethnicity requirements…

Regulations about how campaigns are to be run:

Ex.: fund-raising and campaign advertising rules

Which parties can compete:

Ex.: minimum number of individuals needing to sign a petition; monetary deposits needed from parties before elections; deadline to respect for participating (rules aiming at discouraging “non-realistic” parties)

Legal Constraints Regarding Who Can Vote: Age requirement Registration requirement Residency requirement Literacy requirement (minimum or rigorous) Ex.: was in use in the Southern states to prevent Afro-American voters to vote Gender, group, ethnic, or religious factors in use still in several countries to deter certain parts of the population to vote

Age requirement

Registration requirement

Residency requirement

Literacy requirement (minimum or rigorous)

Ex.: was in use in the Southern states to prevent Afro-American voters to vote

Gender, group, ethnic, or religious factors in use still in several countries to deter certain parts of the population to vote

Political Parties: Empty Vessels? Are political parties in decline? Moving towards the ideological center (no clear ideological differences any more) Media tend to play some of their role in terms of informing the population Rise of interest-groups connected to the growing importance of single-issues Diminution of party-members

Are political parties in decline?

Moving towards the ideological center (no clear ideological differences any more)

Media tend to play some of their role in terms of informing the population

Rise of interest-groups connected to the growing importance of single-issues

Diminution of party-members