Chapter 12 Government Essays

Mecca Perkins
A.P Government A4
10/18/12
Chapter 12 Homework
1) The power of political parties has definitely declined over the past fifty years. But in order to understandhow it's changed, you must first understand how i began. Political parties used to be ran as political machines, which are defined as a party organization that recruits a voter loyalty with tangibleincentives and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity. Political machines were a central element of life for millions of people. Political parties not only dealt withpolitical need for the party but also desire for important social services. This included providing voters with housing, employment, food and even entertainment and social gatherings thus creating intenseloyalty amoung supports, which in turn created shockingly high voter turnout of 75 percent or better in all preidential elections. Compared with today's 50-60 percent at most you begin to see how thepower of political parties has declined. Many things contibuted to this decline of power. This includes the governments gradual assumption of important functions previously performed by the parties likeprinting ballots. conducting elections and providing welfare services. Social services began to be seen as a right of citizenship as opposed to a privelege given in exchange for a persons support ofa party. The adoption of a direct primary system also contributed to the decline of power because it warranted the selection of party candidates through the ballots of qualified voters instead of atparty nominating conventions, thus loosening the connection between party nominees and party organizations. Reforms such as civil service laws required appointment based on merit and competitiveexaminations as opposed to patronizing, rewarding, or bribing party members. The rise of issue-oriented politics and candidate-oriented politics gave took focus off of party platforms and affiliations...