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 starts with an overview of the United State's Green Party's history, including the influence of the European Green Parties, environmentalism, student protests, etc. It then analyzes the rise in popularity of this party since the first election when it ran a presidential candidate, looking at percentage increases in members and elected officials and public opinion of the party. The paper credits this rise to the merging of the Democratic and Republican parties platforms into vague and empty promises and also attributes its popularity to selected environmental issues found in the party's platform.
From the Paper "After years of development, nonpartisan actions, and progressive policies, the Green Party of the United States has emerged as a persuasive political party whose popularity increases every year. The Green Party was formed to defend such key issues as the environment, human equality, and other forms of global justice. By employing actions and policies that differentiate itself from the Democratic and Republican Parties, the Green Party is able to expand its membership and influence on politics."
Abstract This essay describes conflict resolution with specific reference to third party intervention (in the form of mediation and arbitration). In addition, it argues that third party intervention is not a simple, objective technique that can solve any conflict situation, but that in essence, the effect of third party intervention (such as mediation and arbitration) is dependant on many different psychological processes. These psychological processes are examined. Finally, the essay views the effectiveness of third party intervention in the South African context. In doing the above, the essay defines certain processes such as conflict, mediation, arbitration and third party intervention.
From the Paper "According to Erasmus et al, conflict is an extremely complex phenomenon that can be caused by many different sources (such as two parties competing for the same job or two parties having differing value systems or ideologies). In order to effectively manage conflict, it is necessary to identify the actual causes of the conflict (Erasmus et al, 1992). In addition, conflict can arise in virtually any social setting and it can be between or within nations, organizations, groups or individuals (Rubin, 1994).There are four different classifications of organizational conflict given by Erasmus et al. These are intrapersonal conflict, (conflict that occurs within the individual due to tasks, roles and interests which do not match the individual's expertise), interpersonal conflict (conflict between two individuals), intragroup conflict (conflict among the members of the same group), and intergroup conflict (conflict between two groups, such as between a trade union and management) (Erasmus, et al, 1992)."
Tags: african, arbitration, conflict, context, interventions, mediation, party, south, third
Abstract In addition to looking at the reasons for the disintegration of the Black Panthers, this paper also traces the origins of the Party, examines how and why it started, describes its program and activities, the FBI's campaign against the Black Panthers, the trial of Black Panther members in court, the role of women in BPP, and the impact of the Party on the country.
Table of Contents
The Black Panther Party Origin
Why was the Party Started?
The Ten-Point Program
Activities of the Black Panthers
War Against the Panthers
Black Panthers in Court
Black Panther Women
Alliances and Coalitions
Mistakes Made by the Black Panthers
Impact of the Party on the Country
From the Paper "The black community of Oakland, California was greatly perturbed due to the failure of Southern white policemen to provide adequate protection for its black residents and the increasing incidents of police brutality targeted at the blacks. The organizers of the Panthers, therefore, aimed to gain justice for black people and dedicated themselves to defend the black community from racist police oppression and brutality. Besides being considered as the perpetrators of injustice and violence against the black community, the police was perceived by the Panthers as the representatives of the status quo and the "establishment" who implemented its anti-Black agenda. Since the Panthers believed that they were fighting the "status quo" the BPP considered itself to be a "revolutionary" party, which was committed to wage a class struggle to overthrow the existing order. (Harris 169)"
Abstract This eight page paper examines the present position of the Liberal Party of Canada. It should be noted first of all that the Liberal Party is Canada's largest political party and is currently led by Prime Minister Paul Martin, who succeeded Jean Chretien in 2003. Further the writer points out that the Liberal Party has been in power for most of the past century and is one of only two parties that have governed Canada since confederation.
From the Paper "In analyzing the present position of the Liberal Party of Canada, it should be noted first of all that the Liberal Party is Canada's largest political party and is currently led by Prime Minister Paul Martin, who succeeded Jean Chretien in 2003. The Liberal Party has been in power for most of the past century and is one of only two parties that have governed Canada since confederation. In an ideological context, the present position of the Liberal Party of Canada is defined by its traditional commitment to upholding the dignity of each individual citizen and to protect their rights."
Abstract The paper identifies the two major political parties in the US: Democrats and Republicans. The paper states that the two-party system gives a sense of control and stability to the nation during times of change and that it is a natural result of the United State's election process, a result of parties consolidating to prevent vote splitting. The paper also explains that in this system helps keep a single party from gaining too much power and overwhelming the government. The paper concludes that the two-party system is good for the United States, despite objections to its weaknesses, as it provides stability, a proper medium for a majority's ideas, and an avenue for stable change.
From the Paper "The Federalists stood for a stronger central government, and supported removing the rights from the states and returning it to the federal government. Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans supported states' rights. However, though Jefferson believed in the power of the people to lead themselves he still understood the need for a Constitution, so his Democratic-Republican Party did share some traits with the Federalists. These two parties, different in some ways and similar in others, were the original two "major" parties, and offer up the first example of a two-party system in American politics. The important fact was that this happened in a time when the people of the United States were concerned about whether to have a strong, central government like the British they had just won their independence from, or to remain a confederacy of states, relying on each other only because of geographical convenience. This was such a strong issue because many people did not want to have anything to do with the British, and thus the thought of a strong federal government scared them."
Abstract The paper notes that the British Labor Party that came into existence at the start of the 20th century as the representative of the working class with a socialist agenda, has undergone a radical change in its ideology, particularly in the last few decades. This paper explores the origins of the party, its socialist ethos, and the extent to which the modern Labor Party can be described as socialist.
Outline:
Origins of the Labor Party The Socialist Ideology of the Labor Party The Legacy of Thatcherism
Unfavorable Times for the Left
Abandoning the 'Socialist' Totem
Conclusion
From the Paper "The answer, of course, is that the modern Labour's policies are perhaps closer to that of the Conservatives and neo-liberals rather than to the socialist policies of the old Labour. Even before Blair became a long-serving Prime Minister of Britain in 1997 he had expressed an unusual admiration for the "the Thatcher-Reagan leadership" of the 1980s by stating that they "got certain things right. A greater emphasis on enterprise. Rewarding, not penalizing, success. Breaking up vested interests". Indeed, even some of the Tory columnists, like William Rees-Mogg of The Times, wrote admiringly of the way the Blair leadership could now "accept right-wing policies which Margaret Thatcher did not even contemplate in the 1979 manifesto" even before the New Labour had come to power. Blair's performance in government did not disappoint his right-wing supporters either. He was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of globalization, "free market" economy and a willing handmaiden to multinational corporations".
Abstract The labor party is traditionally the socialist party in the UK. The changes in the political environment have meant that there have been changes made in policies and presentation of the polices. Many commentators see this 'New Labour' as moving away for socialism. This paper considers if the commentators may be seen as correct, or if socialism has evolved into a new form.
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."
Abstract This paper compares government funding of political parties in three democratic countries: the United States, Great Britain and France. It looks at the significance of the issue of financing political party electoral campaigns. It concludes that all three countries have implemented changes in campaign finance regulations, but considers the government as a necessary source of some of the funds for political candidates and parties, but differ on the issues that have an impact on electoral activity.
From the Paper "political party electoral campaigns has long been a subject of discussion and as significantly of controversy. Given ..."
Tags: political parties, campaign finance, France, Great Britain, United States
A political science essay outlining the expansion of suffrage among the U.S. population throughout American history and the effects of a larger and more diverse electorate on voting trends and party control.
1,315 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 2 sources, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract This paper discusses the history of suffrage in the United States and it's affect upon the distribution of power between the Republican and Democratic parties at different points in American History. It discusses the three most central suffrage movements in the United States: universal white male suffrage, universal black male suffrage, and universal female suffrage and the expansion of voting rights that coincided with each of these three movements.
From the paper:
"While the universal white male suffrage progressions in the first period had more to do with the influential ideas of the French Revolution and democracy in general, an incentive to settle the western frontier, and increasing trust of the non-upper classes, the suffrage progressions of blacks and women came about from more deliberate effort. Two main reasons for the attainment of the vote by blacks and women is the weakening of the political parties and the increased activist role of the federal government that occurred in the twentieth century."
Abstract This paper describes the evolution of Laura, a character in Kathleen Mansfield's short story "The Garden Party". The author points out that Laura is the youngest child of a privileged New Zealand family. The paper relates that, from beginning of the story, Laura exhibits signs of independent thinking and, as the story ends, she faces death immediately after enjoying the excesses of one of her family's parties.
From the Paper "Katherine Mansfield's The Garden Party focuses on a wealthy New Zealand family and their collective narrow, in fact, almost incestuous, view of the world with themselves egotistically placed in the center of events. The family's youngest daughter, Laura, serves as the story's protagonist as she struggles within the confines of the lineage to which she was born; that of a rather cynical family unit which seems oblivious to events outside their specific circle of influence. Laura is immediately portrayed as different from other members of her family, as she interacts comfortably with the help hired to prepare for the pending garden party and, in fact, permits one of the hired hands to determine the location for the party's marquee."
A discussion regarding to what extent the functioning of political parties can explain the crisis of representation of the 'people' in modern democracies.
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."
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
Abstract One of the most famous incidents leading up to the American Revolution, the "Boston Tea Party", fueled tensions on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This paper describes this incident and traces events leading up to and following it.
