MacLennan - Politics Canada1 Chapter 10 Parties and Interest Groups: Teams in the Game 24 slides.

MacLennan - Politics Canada 1

Chapter 10

Parties and Interest Groups:

Teams in the Game24 slides


• Political parties have many functions:

– their primary purpose is to win elections. Ideologies are the sets of ideas that parties promote to motivate people to vote for them.


• Learning objectives of this chapter:

– outline the function of parties in a liberal democracy

– describe the origins of liberalism, conservatism and socialism in the modern age

– explain the idea of a “two and a half party system”


Parties and the Party System

• Political parties are intended to secure the power of the state, form governments to implement policies and programs.

• Parties take power through open, competitive elections

• The relationships among parties in a political system is called the party system.


• One-party dominant systems - a single party regularly wins almost every election, even though opposition parties compete freely

• Two-party systems - two parties dominate and others have only minor strength

• Multi-party systems - popular support is divided among several parties


• in a multi-party system, the largest party must generally form a coalition with one or more others to form a government

• The Canadian party system is competitive. The number of parties has changed radically over time.

• originally it was a classic two-party system

• with the rise of the NDP in 1961, it became a “two and a half party system.”


• From 1993 - 2000 five parties were elected…the party system was more of a multi-party system.

• also looked “one-party dominant” - the federal Liberals have been in power for much of the 20th century

• the oldest federal parties have both federal and provincial wings

• Quebec is over-represented, West under-represented


• In the 1980 election– The Liberals won – 99 % of the seats in Quebec– 55 % in Ontario– 59 % in Atlantic region– 3 % from the West

• The four Western provinces were almost excluded from the Liberal government caucus.

• The Liberal party has become almost exclusively based in Central Canada. (Dr. Jon Gerrard?)


• The Liberal party’s main opposition was from two regionally based parties:– the separatist Bloc Quebecois– the Western-based Reform Party lead by

Preston Manning• The Conservatives were strong in the West, but

excluded from Quebec. Devastating loss in 1993 - only two seats in the House of C.

• In 1997 it won 20 seats, in 2000 dropped to 12.


• To win an election in Canada….– must get substantial support from two and

perhaps three of five main regions• the Atlantic provinces• Quebec• Ontario• the Prairies• British Columbia

• Usually requires Quebec to win• Encourages growth of regional parties


Theories about the party system

• The Brokerage theory -– Two older parties broker ideas in search of

electoral support - selecting those ideas that have the widest appeal and the best likelihood of attracting electoral support

– brokerage as conciliation, mediation– brokerage as an agent of national integration– brokerage as a disguise for the interests of

capitalism. Liberals and Conservatives are seen as brokerage type parties


One-party dominant thesis

• holds Canadian government is normally controlled by one party…a natural governing party (the Liberals) and a natural opposition party (the PCs)

• Tories most important in 19th century and considered the “natural governing party” until ‘93

• The NDP has become the “innovative party” because it never comes close to power federally but brings new ideas to the political game

• The Canadian Alliance Party should be called “an innovative party.”


Ideology: Ideals that motivate parties

• ideology: an explicit doctrinal structure• a diagnosis of the ills of society• an action plan for remedying the ills of society• deep history roots of liberalism, conservatism,

socialism -originated in 19th century Europe- How to restructure medieval social order - new tech dev

• socialism developed later in response to changes in economics

• nationalism motivates parties like the Bloc Quebecois.


Liberalism

• ideology of the rising commercial class in England• liber (latin) meaning “free”• to replace old feudal order, the power of the

monarchy and landed aristocracy• representative government, free trade, capitalism• John Locke - political philosopher, defence of

freedom, private property and limited government• John Stuart Mill, Jean-Jacques Rousseau wanted

to organize government to maintain law and order, but not to infringe on human rights

• said gov’t must operate under limitations


Economic implications

• Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations” (1793) expounded the principal of laissez-faire

• minimum interference of gov’t in economic affairs• prices in a free market are determined by “natural

laws” like supply and demand• Reform or modern liberalism has moved away

from classical liberal ideas…favour redistribution to lift up the poor

• elements of modern liberalism in all five Cdn. parties.


Conservatism

• originally justified the positions of the aristocracy and church

• Edmund Burke: defender of the status quo, order and stability (freedom of press)

• conservatives said society needed stability and structure

• people’s membership in the community more significant than their individuality

• they shared view of Smith about economics


• Canadian conservatism derived in part from United Empire Loyalists who fled the American revolution

• European conservatism ranks order and common good of the community above individual freedom

• American conservatism stresses individualism, self-reliance and a limited state

• Reformers and now the Canadian Alliance adopted the philosophy of American conservatives


Socialism

• tech advances of the Industrial Revolution created a huge urban working class living in wretched conditions - child labour, no education, crime, etc.

• socialists said government should get involved in directing the economy

• advocated public ownership• two forms of socialism developed advocating

alternatives in industrial capitalism - utopian socialists vs. Marx and scientific socialism

• development of communism and state ownership of all property


• Those who wanted to work within a framework of parliamentary democracy become known as democratic socialists

• those who liked revolutionary ideas of Marx become communists

• communism broke down in USSR in 1991• even before that, in Britain socialists no longer

pushed nationalization of industry• socialism “moral values” - inequality of nations

wealth due to capitalism, support equality/classless society, fight unemployment


Party Organization, Parties at Work

Party Structure & Financing


Party Organization & Structure

• federal & provincial wings may be largely independent

• federally, two wings: the parliamentary wing (party leader and caucus) and a large extra-parliamentary wing…National Exec., Standing Committees, National Office, provincial associations and local constituency associations

• constituency or riding is locus of grassroots association

• in most parties, a small elite conducts business


Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition

• led by the leader of the party with the second greatest number of seats

• role officially recognized in House procedures

• party and leader have special status

• a significant function as critic of the government and government in waiting

• vastly inferior to actually governing


Party Financing• parties need money for research, staff, election

campaigning• party caucuses get money from Parliament to a

formula which only recognizes parties with 12 elected members

• Election Expense Act opened the fundraising process more accountability, contributions tax deductible, lists published of those who contribute more than $200 a year…parties reimbursed for most election campaign spending


Parties at Work

• Conventions - keep the party in touch with the grassroots - the parliamentary wing and extra-parliamentary wings combined

• leadership conventions - democratic procedure - the media exposes party

• candidates for leadership campaign attract delegate support, commitment

• leadership conventions are criticized for cost• Liberals want a direct-vote/convention model

MacLennan - Politics Canada1 Chapter 10 Parties and Interest Groups: Teams in the Game 24 slides.

Documents

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largest party

single party

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opposition parties

electedthe party system

function of parties

number of parties