Political Parties and Elections - Lecture 9

Flashcards covering the definitions of political party systems, electoral systems, scholarly perspectives, and challenges to electoral integrity based on Lecture 9 notes.

Political parties

Organized groups that represent particular ideas, interests, and political agendas in an effort to influence government policy and win power through elections.

Edmund Burke (1770)

A British statesman and philosopher who defined a political party as a "body of men united for promoting by their joint endeavors the national interest upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed."

Giovanni Sartori (1976)

An Italian political scientist who introduced the "party system theory" and argued that political parties are essential for structuring electoral competition and organizing government.

Political socialization and mobilization

A major function where political parties shape political opinions and increase voter participation through campaigns and outreach programs.

One-Party System

A system where a single political party dominates the government and opposition parties are either outlawed, repressed, or rendered ineffectual; characteristic of authoritarian nations.

Communist Party of China (CPC)

An example of a one-party system that has ruled China since 1949, controlling all branches of government and preventing meaningful political opposition.

Juan Linz (1975)

A scholar who described one-party systems as inherently authoritarian, where the lack of political competition leads to dictatorship.

Two-Party System

A political system where two major parties dominate electoral politics and smaller parties have limited influence, common in First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) systems.

Robert Dahl (1956)

A scholar who argued that two-party systems simplify electoral choices but warned they might oversimplify debates by forcing voters into binary ideological camps.

Multi-Party System

A system where several political parties vie for control, frequently necessitating coalition governments to establish a majority.

Arend Lijphart (1999)

A scholar who argued that multi-party systems lead to better representation but can create instability if coalition governments collapse over ideological disagreements.

Joseph Schumpeter (1942)

A scholar who defined democracy as a "competitive struggle for people’s votes" between competing elites who represent different policy preferences.

Larry Diamond (2002)

A scholar who argued that free and fair elections (regular, free, and fair) are essential for democratic consolidation.

Democratic consolidation

A process where democracy becomes the "only game in town," requiring trusted, regular, free, and fair elections.

Majoritarian Systems

Electoral systems founded on the idea that a party or candidate must receive a majority of the vote, or at least a plurality, to win.

First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) System

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins the seat, used in single-member districts.

Maurice Duverger (1954)

A scholar whose law states that FPTP systems tend to lead to a two-party system as smaller parties struggle to gain representation.

Proportional Representation (PR) Systems

Electoral systems designed to ensure a party's seat total is proportionate to its vote share, often promoting political diversity.

Party-List Proportional Representation

A system where voters cast ballots for a political party rather than individual candidates, and seats are distributed relative to the percentage of votes received.

Mixed Electoral Systems (Hybrid Models)

Systems that combine elements of FPTP and PR, such as Germany’s Bundestag, where voters cast one vote for a local representative and one for a political party.

Pippa Norris & Mark Franklin (1997)

Scholars whose research suggests that FPTP systems lead to higher electoral participation due to simplicity but discourage third parties.

Electoral fraud and manipulation

Actions such as vote-rigging, ballot stuffing, and digital hacking that undermine the credibility of elections.

Voter suppression and exclusion

Techniques like strict voter ID laws, intimidation, or gerrymandering used by governments to manipulate election outcomes.