Abstract
This paper makes a case for why political parties have become an essential part of political campaigns, primarily because of their enormous fund-raising capabilities. The writer demonstrates that parties as they are today are essential, because of their ability to run smooth and large-scale campaigns.

From the Paper
"Paul Herrnson said it best in his contention that, "American parties are primarily electoral institutions. They focus more on elections and less on initiating policy change than do parties in other Western democracies" (Maisel 47). While the influence of political parties has fluctuated greatly throughout their 150-year influence, one critical advantage of parties has seemingly guaranteed their undeniable essentialness in campaigns; their ability to raise vast sums of money. With vast sums of money came the ability to provide essential resources to candidates, and the "increased needs of candidates for greater access to technical expertise, political information and money created an opportunity for national...party organizations to become the repositories of these electoral resources" (Maisel 52). Party-run campaigns have supplanted candidate-centered campaigns, and this is a trend not likely to change as the years progress. Even with the inception of campaign finance reforms such as the Federal Election Campaigning Act of 1971 and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, parties have continually adapted to changing legal limits on various forms of campaign finance, and monies raised continues to increase. Parties have used these increased funds to do whatever it takes to win elections, such as hiring campaign consultants who seek to ensure that the party gets enough votes when Election Day comes. As demonstrated in Thomas Frank's What's the Matter with Kansas?, the unlikely transformation of Kansas from one of the most liberal states to a now overwhelming majority Republican state is a feat in itself, and happened because of shrewd campaign tactics."

Tags:act, bcra, campaigning, campgaign, electoral, essential, feca, federal, finance, parties, party, political

Abstract
This paper presents an in-depth description of Canada's political parties which have helped in the development of a democratic system. The paper further notes that while Canadian political parties uphold what can be characterized as democratic principles, Canada is not really a democracy but rather a Constitutional Monarchy, with the highest ranking official in the government being a non-Canadian un-elected monarch, currently the Queen of England. The paper concludes by noting the limited powers of the monarch and the role of the Canadian prime minister.

From the Paper
"Canada has a number of political parties helping in the development of a democratic system, with three or four dominant federal parties, and with a number of provincial and local parties in operation at any given time. While Canadian political parties uphold what can be characterized as democratic principles, Canada is not really a democracy but rather a Constitutional Monarchy, with the highest ranking official in the government being a non-Canadian un-elected monarch, currently the Queen of England. Though the monarchy has full executive powers, it does not exercise them, leaving them for the Prime Minister of Canada to perform the necessary tasks. The Prime Minister is also not elected directly by..."

Tags:canada, political, parties

Abstract
This paper takes an in-depth look at political parties and issues that surround representation of the people in modern democracies. According to the paper, political parties, in their organization and their functioning, display numerous problems in terms of representation. The paper focuses particularly on two of these problems, the modes of government and the modes of funding. The paper also analyzes the aftermaths of the logic of electoral competition for the representation of the membership and the electorate.

From the Paper
"Political representation is quite a hard concept to grasp. It was rejected by the French during the Revolution as an impediment to the self-government of the people. Nonetheless, I will try to show that political representation is necessary for ensuring freedom in our modern democracies.
But first let us turn back to our French Revolution and the establishment of what could be considered as a quasi-totalitarian regime. In France, traditional feudal aristocratic society was undermined by an absolutist and centralist state. When the French Revolution broke out, the remaining feudal instances were destroyed even further (loi Le Chapelier), so that in fact only the individuals and the state remained without the traditional feudal corporations to mediate between them. The question then is how a society can be held together when it has been dismembered and robbed of the intermediary associations that had given it its concrete form and reality. Most revolutionaries followed republicans like Rousseau or Sieyes. The only way for them to bring about a post-feudal democratic order was by converting particular interests to the common good. Individuals were now called upon to set aside their particular preferences and to identify fully with the common will of the people in order to establish real popular sovereignty and equality. The Jacobin revolutionaries thus assumed that a true democracy could only be established if abstract democratic principles like formal equality, popular sovereignty or the unitary will of the people were indeed completely "turned into reality" (i.e. "actualized" or "materialized"), rather than merely respected (Weymans: 263-282). This is characteristic of totalitarian regimes. More so, to Claude Lefort totalitarianism represents a society's attempt to fully "materialize" or "actualize" democratic principles by making the people really one, equal, free or sovereign. That is also what distinguishes them from democratic regimes. While the totalitarian state tries to realize the principles (by embodying them), a democratic state prevents a society from realizing these (through representation), thus remaining distinct from and dependent on society. This distinction or alienation of the state from society is indeed necessary."

Tags:Political, Parties, Representation, People, Modern, Democracies

Abstract
An analysis of the history of black participation in political parties that shows it is directly linked to civil rights issues. The paper discusses the shift among black voters from the Republican Party after the Civil War, to the Democratic Party. The paper explains the causes of the shift.

From the Paper
"The history of black participation in the political process has been one full of false starts and stumbles, of promises broken and dreams deferred. When Abraham Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation, he won the hearts and minds of blacks for the Republican party. During the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War, a number of blacks were elected to public office as Republicans. A century later, over ... percent of blacks vote for the Democratic Party in national elections. This paper will outline the history of black political participation in..."

Tags:black, politics, parties, participation, civil rights, Democratic, Republican, voters

Abstract
The paper examines propositions about the role of political parties and how they fit the German federal experience, and shows how political scientists such as William Riker, Klaus Detterbech, Wolfgang Renszch, Brian J. Gaines and Christophe Crombez have provided informative and insightful analyses of this issue, and have made valid propositions regarding the development of political party roles in Germany since the end of the Second World War and the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany.

From the Paper
"In examining how propositions about the role of political parties fit the German federal experience, it is evident that political scientists such as William Riker, Klaus Detterbech, Wolfgang Renszch, Brian J. Gaines and Christophe Crombez have provided informative and insightful analyses of this issue, and have made valid propositions regarding the development of political party roles in Germany since the end of the Second World War and the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany."

Tags:federalism, parties, germany

Abstract
This paper discusses the functions and roles of political parties in the United States. Their value in helping to fund elections and focus on electoral campaigns is also considered. The paper concludes by examining their role in developing political and social agendas.

From the Paper
"Political Parties Political parties are defined as organizations that sponsor candidates for political office under the organization's name. (Janda Berry Goldman) This somewhat narrow definition of organizations that play a major role in democratic societies does not begin to identify all of the functions that are undertaken by such groups. These functions include, said Richard Hofstadter, the development of political and social agendas, the creation of legislation and laws addressing significan tissues and the education of the general public regarding those issues. However, despite their significance political..."

Tags:political parties, U.S. Constitution, government, elections, candidates

Abstract
This paper argues that the taxation policies of the Liberal and Progressive Conservative Parties in Canada have shifted further to the right.

From the Paper
The Conservative Party maintains its conservative beginnings. Its philosophy is oriented toward maintaining the status quo in so far as the nation of Canada and its institutions, programs, eliminating regionalism, building a stronger nation, and limiting government intrusion into the private lives of Canadians.[i] There is little change in the Party's current platform. The Conservatives want to restore spending to the levels before the Liberals assumed power. The Conservatives have promulgated a new tax policy that calls for tax reduction

Tags:canadian, parties, political, tax, real, estate

Abstract
This paper studies the evolution of political parties in Western democracies. The paper focuses on the following types of parties: cadre party, mass party, catch-all party and cartel party. The paper looks at the relationship between the party leaders and members and the electorate. The paper concludes with the author's contention that there is a trend toward less democracy.

Tags:cadre party, mass party, catch-all party, cartel party

Abstract
This paper compares three American political parties, the Democratic Party, Republican Party and the third party Libertarian Party. The histories of the three parties are detailed.

From the Paper
"In the history of the United States the two most prominent political parties have been the Democratic and Republican parties. A third party with a substantial following has been the Libertarian party. These three parties have an interesting past as part of the fabric of America's political history. The Democratic Party was founded by Thomas Jefferson in as a congressional caucus to fight for the Bill of Rights and against the elitist Federalist Party. Past History Touted as the party of the common man, the..."

Tags:American, political party, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, President, Jefferson, Adams

Abstract
Even before the adoption of the Constitution, political parties were beginning to form in American. The paper shows that those who favored the Constitution were called Federalists and were led by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. Another group, led by Thomas Jefferson, opposed the adoption of the Constitution and was known as Anti-federalists. The paper describes how the Anti-federalists broke up after the Constitution was ratified, but they set the stage for the development of other political parties, resulting in the two party system that we have today.

Table of Contents:
I. Introduction
II. The Development of Political Parties
III. The Constitution and Political Parties
IV. The Changing Ideology of Political Parties
V. Conclusion

From the Paper
"Political parties realign their ideologies to meet changing times and sentiments. For example, the Antifederalists and their successors favored an agrarian economy and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. But, once Jefferson became President, he had to change his philosophy because the Louisiana Purchase could only be justified by a broad interpretation of the Constitution. He also saw that the future of the country was tied to manufacturing and trade, so he dropped his opposition to these activities. Today, Democrats, who started out as states rights advocates and who preferred limited federal power now generally favor bigger government, federal involvement, and social intervention."

Tags:Bill, of, Rights, Democratic, Republicans, Louisiana, Purchase