Political Parties (Election '16, Part 2)
- Alexandra Feldman
- Jan 22, 2016
- 3 min read
Disclaimer: This is by no means a complete overview of all political identities. There are as many identities as there are people. As for "categories", the following are covered: Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, and liberals.
Credit: politicalhumor.about.com (How accurate is this cartoon?)
You've heard of Republicans and Democrats, but do you really know what they stand for?
Back in the late 1700s, America was just getting started. The Articles of Confederation were failing miserably, so a few people came up with a new Constitution. Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, were in favor of the Constitution. They favored giving central government a lot of power, thus creating unity between the states (at that point, states were more like individual countries). The Constitution, they argued, would do all that.
Anti-Federalists (or Democratic-Republicans), led by Thomas Jefferson, thought the less power to the central government, the better, since peoples' rights might be suppressed otherwise. They were opposed to the Constitution, because they feared it would give central government far too much power over society.
In the end, the Federalists won. We got a new Constitution. We also got the start to two major political parties. Federalists eventually became today's Democrats, in favor of powerful central government: for example, more funding for federal welfare programs, tighter gun control. Anti-Federalists are the predecessors of today's Republicans, preferring limited government and more power to individual states: for example, giving states the right to decide what the minimum wage should be.
Heard of "left-wing" or "right-wing"? A liberal is someone who favors government making sure everyone's needs are met, that everyone has the opportunities they need to be successful. Democrats tend to be more liberal. Conservatives favor less government interference, especially in the economy, so people can meet their own needs and create opportunities for themselves. Republicans tend to be more conservative. These are not the only accepted definitions.
The farther to the left you are, the more liberal. The farther right, the more conservative.
Sounds like a spectrum to me.
Photo Courtesy of Wix
In the nature of politics and, well, humans, identities exist along spectrums. Very few people, if any, are completely [insert political affiliation here]. Even within political parties, there is a range of opinions on various issues.
Some people identify neither with the Democratic nor the Republican Party. They might call themselves independents, or associate with one of the less prominent parties. (Why are those parties less prominent, though?)
Also, just because you're a member of a political party, doesn't mean you must prescribe to every bit of the party's ideology. I mean, that would be unnerving. Still, as a politician representing a party, it can be difficult to go against what the party expects without facing backlash, or even risking your political career. It takes courage to dissent.
Some people are worried that the current presidential candidates are changing what it means to be a Republican or a Democrat, creating further divisions within parties. Then again, why shouldn't the parties change, when the face of America itself is changing?
Besides, political parties are illegal in some countries. The Founding Fathers opposed the idea from the very beginning. Do we really need political parties, or do they only serve to harm us?
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This article is part of a series. Read Part 1, about Election Day, and Part 3, on the current presidential candidates, by clicking on those links.
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Bibliography
Boundless. “The First Political Parties: Federalists and Anti-Federalists.” Boundless Political Science. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 24 Jan. 2016
"United States Founding Fathers." Constitution Facts. Oak Hill Publishing, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.
"Conservative vs. Liberal Beliefs." Student News Daily. StudentNewsDaily.com, 2005. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.
Related Social Studies Standards
SS.7.C.1.8 Explain the viewpoints of the Federalists and Anti‐Federalists regarding the ratification of the Constitution and inclusion of a bill of rights.
SS.7.C.2.8
Identify America`s current political parties, and illustrate their ideas about government.
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