CHAPTER 9
Political Parties
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The 2012 election produced the following outcome:
a.
Congress was controlled completely by Republicans, and the president was a Democrat.
b.
Congress was split with the Republicans controlling the Senate and the Democrats
controlling the House, and the president was a Democrat.
c.
Congress was controlled completely by Democrats, and the president was a Democrat.
d.
Congress was split with the Democrats controlling the Senate and the Republicans
controlling the House, and the president was a Democrat.
e.
None of the above is true.
2. Of the following statements, which one best describes voters relationship with political parties.
a.
Voters are more attached to political parties today than they were a hundred years ago.
b.
Voters favor strong political parties more than they do individual candidates.
c.
Voters are less attached to political parties today than they were a hundred years ago.
d.
Voters are extremely knowledgeable about the platforms of the major parties.
e.
Voters have increased their loyalty to their political party in recent years.
3. The Founders—and George Washington in particular—thought of political parties as
a.
the primary means of communication between voters and representatives.
b.
“factions” motivated by ambition and self-interest.
c.
a necessary element of democratic political processes.
d.
a useful device for purposes of recruitment.
e.
the logical result of republican principles.
4. Of the following, which group is NOT a political party?
a.
Democratic
b.
Republican
c.
Whig
d.
Teamster
e.
Libertarian
5. In his Farewell Address, George Washington took this position on political parties.
a.
Voters should support his party (the Federalist).
b.
He condemned political parties.
c.
Told voters to not support Thomas Jefferson’s political party.
d.
He condemned Alexander Hamilton for having helped form the Federalist Party.
e.
He argued for more political parties to compete for voters.
6. Over recent decades, research on party identification has found
a.
an increase in Democrats.
b.
an increase in Republicans.
c.
a decrease in Democrats and increase in Republicans.
d.
a decrease in Republicans and increase in Democrats.
e.
an increase in independents.
7. The U.S. federal system ensures that the nation’s parties are __________ than their
European counterparts.
a.
more ideological
b.
less ideological
c.
more aggressive
d.
more centralized
e.
more decentralized
8. In most states, candidates for office are chosen by
a.
the people.
b.
party leaders.
c.
primary elections.
d.
conventions.
e.
delegations.
9. In Europe, the vast majority of candidates
a.
win constituency referendum.
b.
are nominated by a member of the executive branch.
c.
win in the primary election.
d.
hire his or her own campaign organization.
e.
are nominated by party leaders.
10. Which of the following countries has even fewer political parties than the United States?
a.
Canada
b.
Germany
c.
Mexico
d.
China
e.
France
11. The first organized political party in American history was
a.
made up of the followers of Jefferson.
b.
organized by Alexander Hamilton.
c.
organized by the Federalists.
d.
ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
e.
formed under the Articles of Confederation.
12. During the founding period of U.S. history, political parties could best be characterized as
a.
national coalitions in which large, raucous party conventions played a major role.
b.
small coalitions based more on geography and class than on common economic interests.
c.
instruments through which debate over the legitimacy of the new government could
take place.
d.
bureaucratized, well organized, and well financed.
e.
national coalitions that were well organized by impersonal bureaucracies.
13. This Founding Father stated that, “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists”?
a.
Washington
b.
Adams
c.
Jefferson
d.
Madison
e.
Hamilton
14. The distinctive feature of the Jacksonian era of political parties was
a.
mass political participation.
b.
strict registration laws.
c.
the popularity of the caucus system.
d.
the Australian ballot.
e.
direct election of senators.
15. National party conventions were developed as a reform of
a.
the Electoral College.
b.
party caucuses.
c.
primary elections.
d.
direct elections.
e.
recall elections.
16. The modern Republican Party
a.
was founded by Thomas Jefferson to oppose the policies of Alexander Hamilton.
b.
was originally called the Antifederalist party.
c.
emerged as a major party only after the Civil War.
d.
emerged around 1824 with Andrew Jackson’s first run for the presidency.
e.
was founded in the South.
17. The ________, a faction of the Republican Party, were opposed to the patronage system and favored
nonpartisan elections at the city level.
a.
stalwarts
b.
Whigs
c.
Old Guards
d.
Folemen
e.
progressives
18. Progressives called for electoral reforms, such as the initiative and the referendum, to give
a.
Congress a way of controlling the president.
b.
citizens a direct say in making laws.
c.
courts a system for prosecuting election fraud.
d.
governors more power in relation to legislatures.
e.
party regulars a say in nominating candidates.
19. Scholars refer to a period when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or
both parties as
a.
a critical election or realignment period.
b.
a transitional phase.
c.
an era of discontent.
d.
an era of good feelings.
e.
a period of nonpartisanship.
20. Scholars have identified __________ critical, or realigning, periods in American politics.
a.
two
b.
three
c.
four
d.
five
e.
six
21. In 1896, the realignment was driven by issues related to
a.
economics.
b.
slavery.
c.
federalism.
d.
civil liberties.
e.
national security.
22. The elections of Ronald Reagan could not have marked realignment because
a.
they featured low voter turnout.
b.
they left control of Congress in the hands of the Democratic Party.
c.
they did not involve salient economic issues.
d.
the vote of the electoral college was actually quite close.
e.
hardly any Republican governors were reelected.
23. Clear realignments, like the one that occurred in 1932, may not occur again because
a.
voter turnout has consistently decreased over the last forty years.
b.
presidential candidates are rarely as popular with the voters as they used to be.
c.
the electoral college is malapportioned.
d.
voters are less attached to party labels today than in the past.
e.
economic issues rarely dominate presidential campaigns.
24. Ticket splitting helps create
a.
separation of powers.
b.
checks and balances.
c.
divided government.
d.
political efficacy.
e.
liberal politics.
25. The national party conventions meet every __________ years to nominate a presidential candidate.
a.
two
b.
three
c.
four
d.
six
e.
eight
26. The __________ manages the day-to–day work of the party.
a.
precinct captain
b.
national chairman
c.
national selectman
d.
national alderman
e.
organizational deputy
27. Beginning in the 1960s, the __________ became more bureaucratized, whereas the __________
became more factionalized.
a.
Republican Party; Democratic Party
b.
major parties; minor parties
c.
Democratic Party; Republican Party
d.
minor parties; major parties
e.
Republican Party; minor parties
28. Which candidate distinguished himself by raising an extraordinary amount of money via the Internet?
a.
Al Gore
b.
John Kerry
c.
Howard Dean
d.
Al Sharpton
e.
Bill Bradley
29. In 2012, a U.S. Senate campaign cost on average around
a.
$1.6 million.
b.
$9 million.
c.
$10.5 million.
d.
$20 million.
e.
$3 million.
30. Which of the following statements about the formula by which delegates to the nominating
conventions are apportioned is correct?
a.
Both Democrats and Republicans give extra delegates to large states.
b.
Both Democrats and Republicans give extra delegates to loyal states.
c.
The Democrats and Republicans use different formulas.
d.
The formula reflects a movement to the center by both Democrats and Republicans.
e.
Formulas have had no noticeable impact on the selection of delegates to the conventions.
31. Democratic rule changes were drafted in 1972 by a commission headed by
a.
Edward Kennedy.
b.
Barbara Mikulski.
c.
Jacob Javits.
d.
George McGovern.
e.
Hubert Humphrey.
32. The term superdelegate refers to
a.
elected officials and party leaders who are not required to pledge themselves in advance to
a presidential candidate.
b.
delegates representing special-interest caucuses, such as those organized to represent
blacks or homosexuals.
c.
delegates at large who are chosen by a vote of the national party leadership.
d.
delegates chosen by primary elections and grassroots caucuses.
e.
delegates who received more than 80 percent of the vote necessary to achieve their status.
33. After a decade of reforms, the Democrats and Republicans have come to represent two ideologically
different sets of
a.
independent voters.
b.
lower-income voters.
c.
traditional, religious Americans.
d.
first-time voters.
e.
upper-middle-class voters.
34. According to the text, national conventions have been transformed into
a.
media showcases where newscasters influence the outcome.
b.
meetings where delegates ratify decisions made by voters.
c.
gatherings where party leaders make important decisions.
d.
gatherings of representatives from interest groups.
e.
places where delegates vote their conscience, regardless of the party’s platform.
35. Of the following statements, which is true about party machines?
a.
Party machines are characterized by a high degree of leadership control over
member activity.
b.
Party machines do not use tangible incentives to recruit members.
c.
Party machines help to solve the problem of voting fraud.
d.
Party machines cut down the number of patronage jobs in government.
e.
Party machines enforce electoral reform and encourage competition.
36. Which of the following statements regarding the Tammany Hall political machine is incorrect?
a.
It was located in New York City.
b.
It began as a caucus of local Democratic leaders.
c.
It was organized on the basis of political clubs in districts.
d.
Its power was enhanced by the Hatch Act.
e.
The machine rewarded supporters with federal, state, or city jobs.
37. The classical machine-type party was developed and perfected
a.
in the nineteenth century, before the large-scale Irish and Italian immigrations.
b.
in the nineteenth century, after the large-scale Irish and Italian immigrations.
c.
at the time of the New Deal, when thousands of civil servants were jobless.
d.
after World War II, when thousands of soldiers returned from Europe and the Pacific.
e.
during the implementation of Great Society programs in the Deep South.
38. The Hatch Act allows federal civil service employees to
a.
serve as party officers.
b.
solicit campaign donations.
c.
make campaign contributions.
d.
serve as a delegate to a party convention.
e.
endorse partisan candidates.
39. The texts suggests that the decline of political machines was in part related to
a.
the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the commerce clause.
b.
the general decline in vote turnout.
c.
the increasing education and sophistication of voters.
d.
economic depression in major metropolitan areas.
e.
trends in immigration.
40. According to Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski, the training grounds for national political activists
today are
a.
state and local parties.
b.
social movements.
c.
sponsored parties.
d.
solidary groups.
e.
fluid interest groups.
41. An individual involved in political groups because they enjoy meeting interesting people and rubbing
shoulders with the “powerful” are involved in politics because of
a.
monetary rewards.
b.
solidary incentives.
c.
issues activism.
d.
community reasons.
e.
None of the above is true.
42. The political involvement of the United Auto Workers (UAW) in Detroit is an example of a(n)
a.
sponsored party.
b.
political machine.
c.
ideological party.
d.
solidary group.
e.
reciprocal party.
43. The plurality electoral system in the United States means that
a.
the party system will be competitive.
b.
every party must be a broad-based coalition.
c.
politics will be more ideological than it would otherwise be.
d.
the risk of electoral corruption is less than in Europe.
e.
smaller parties have a greater chance of winning at least some seats.
44. Elections based on a plurality system discourage new parties from forming because
a.
a plurality system discourages patronage and reduces voter interest in joining a party.
b.
a plurality system requires parties to form alliances with other parties to win elections.
c.
under this winner-take-all system, no incentive is given for finishing second (or lower).
d.
a plurality system requires each party to be as narrowly based as possible, leaving little
room for new parties.
e.
a plurality system gives an advantage to savvy political unknowns who can grab the
media spotlight.
45. Which of the following statements about the two-party system is correct?
a.
Most European countries have such a system.
b.
The United States is one of the few countries with such a system.
c.
It exists in the United States because of the absence of local party organizations.
d.
It has existed in the United States only since the early 1900s.
e.
It has always been on the verge of collapse.
146 Chapter 9: Political Parties
46 The two-party system has worked in the United States, but not in Europe, because
a.
Americans are more aggressive and less deferential.
b.
fewer Americans want to participate in party activities.
c.
Americans agree on enough issues to form broad coalitions.
d.
Americans are more economically conservative than Europeans.
e.
Europeans are less ideological than Americans.
47. Which statement is incorrect?
a.
Typically, a majority of Democrats vote for the Democratic candidate.
b.
Typically, a majority of Republicans vote for the Republican candidate.
c.
Typically, a majority of independents vote for the independent candidate.
d.
Typically, a plurality of independents vote for either the Democratic or
Republican candidate.
e.
Typically, most independents vote for the two major parties.
48. Americans tend to see Democrats handling this issue better than Republicans.
a.
The economy
b.
Crime
c.
National defense
d.
Foreign trade
e.
Taxes
49. Eugene Debs of the Socialist Party won __________ of the vote in the presidential election of 1912.
a.
6 percent
b.
15 percent
c.
25 percent
d.
31 percent
e.
43 percent
50. George Wallace’s American Independent Party was an example of a(n)
a.
ideological party.
b.
one-issue party.
c.
economic-protest party.
d.
factional party.
e.
consensual party.
51. The most recent independent candidate for president who was able to get on the ballot in every
state was
a.
Ross Perot.
b.
Henry Wallace.
c.
George Wallace.
d.
John Anderson.
e.
Ralph Nader.
52. The Libertarian and Socialist parties in the United States are examples of
a.
one-issue parties.
b.
ideological parties.
c.
economic-protest parties.
d.
factional parties.
e.
consensual parties.
53. The Populist Party is an example of a(n)
a.
ideological party.
b.
one-issue party.
c.
economic-protest party.
d.
factional party.
e.
consensual party.
54. Many strong social movements in the United States (for example, the antiwar movement of the late
1960s) never produced a significant third party. One reason is that
a.
most states have laws against the formation of third parties.
b.
dissident elements were able to influence elections through party primaries and
national conventions.
c.
the size of these social movements was never large enough to encourage the formation
of parties.
d.
formation of a third party would undermine the goals of these movements.
e.
such movements typically failed to generate significant interest in mainstream politics.
55. The Bull Moose and La Follette Progressive parties probably encouraged the major parties to pay more
attention to
a.
business regulation.
b.
desegregation.
c.
civil service reform.
d.
slavery.
e.
restricting the Supreme Court.
56. National convention delegates, compared with their respective party members, tend to be
a.
more liberal if they are Democrats and more conservative if they are Republicans.
b.
more liberal regardless of party.
c.
more conservative regardless of party.
d.
more conservative if they are Democrats, more liberal if they are Republicans.
e.
quite similar in most respects, but not so much in terms of occupational prestige.
57. The text argues that the central problem of the parties today is how to
a.
appeal to moderate voters despite the parties’ ideological orientation.
b.
win the trust of an increasingly mistrustful electorate.
c.
keep up the appearance of diversity despite the parties’ homogeneous makeup.
d.
attract the attention of an increasingly apathetic electorate.
e.
mobilize voters with a declining sense of internal political efficacy.
58. The disadvantage of the new primary system that has developed in the United States is that it
a.
increases the role of rank-and-file party members to exert an influence over the party’s
candidate choice.
b.
increases the chances that the party will nominate a candidate who is unappealing to the
average voter.
c.
decreases the opportunity for those with strong policy preferences to play a role in
the party.
d.
decreases the likelihood that one party or the other will gain control of the presidency for
several terms.
e.
increases the likelihood of interest groups supporting candidates who are appealing to
single-issue voters.
59. A meeting of party followers at which convention delegates are picked is known as a
a.
preconvention.
b.
primary.
c.
nominating primary.
d.
party commission.
e.
caucus.
60. The typical convention delegate⎯Democratic or Republican⎯can best be characterized as a(n)
a.
officeholder seeking reelection.
b.
rank-and-file party voter.
c.
issue-oriented amateur.
d.
individual seeking a patronage job.
e.
political professional with little or no ideological constraint.
Chapter 9: Political Parties 149
TRUE/FALSE
1. After the 2008 presidential election, the Democrats controlled both the presidency and Congress.
2. The attachment of voters to political parties is weaker today than it was a century ago.
3. Jefferson formed the first political party when he organized opposition against the policies
of Hamilton.
4. In 2000, Ralph Nader launched the Green party.
5. A political party exists at three levels: label, organization, and a set of leaders.
6. In 1952, a total of 23 percent of the electorate identified as independents.
7. The principal criterion by which voters choose among candidates is their party identification or label.
8. In recent years, the number of self-described independents has steadily increased.
9. In most states, political parties have strict control over who get nominated to office.
10. The spread of the direct primary has made it more difficult for parties to control who is nominated for
elective office.
11. The supporters of Thomas Jefferson called themselves Federalists, and the supporters of Alexander
Hamilton referred to themselves as Republicans.
12. Jefferson viewed his party as a temporary arrangement for the purpose of defeating John Adams.
13. The earliest method for nominating presidential candidates was the party convention.
14. The mugwumps were the Progressive faction of the Republican Party around the turn of the
twentieth century.
15. The referendum, a procedural reform of the Progressives, gives citizens the ability to vote directly on
proposed legislation.
16. The administrations of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt are associated with realignments in
American politics.
17. The New Deal coalition was not preceded by a third-party movement.
18. Ticket splitting was almost unheard of in the nineteenth century.
19. The text suggests that the reforms of the Democrats and Republicans may have shifted emphasis from
blue- and white-collar workers to upper-middle-class voters.
20. Voter turnout in primaries is only slightly lower than turnout in the general election.
ESSAY
1. Identify the three arenas in which political parties can be found.
2. Explain the ways that American parties differ from their European counterparts.
3. Discuss how political parties first formed in this nation.
4. Discuss the effect of the Civil War and sectionalism on the development of political parties in the
United States.
5. Explain who the “progressives” were and provide some examples of the positions that they took
on issues.
6. Define and discuss the significance of critical or realigning elections. Also, discuss the three clearest
examples of such elections given in the text.
7. Explain why the authors believe the election of Ronald Reagan did not constitute a critical or
realigning election.
8. Identify the five different ways that political parties have organized in the United States.
9. The two-party system of the United States is unique. What explanations do the authors offer for why
additional parties have not managed to emerge in significant and long lasting ways?
10. What are the four types of minor parties identified by the authors?