POLITICAL PARTIES MIDTERM EXAM (Spring 2024)

Answer any TWO of the following four questions, and answer all parts of the questions and answer them fully.

1) What are the 3 major functions of American political parties, and how specifically do the two major parties carry out each function, and explain? What are the 8 other important functions of political parties, and explain how the parties fulfill each function and give examples for each? What is a major failure of the current U.S. two party system, and explain and defend your answer?

2) How did the two parties differ during the 4^th party era starting in 1896 in terms of the issues they supported and their geographic support? What were the policies and amendments enacted by the Progressive era? What caused the 5^th party system beginning in 1932, what were the New Deal programs, what demographic groups supported the Democrats, and who supported the Republicans? How would you describe party competition in the 6^th party system, and why did the previous majority party lose its majority status, and explain?

3) The party in the electorate is often viewed in demographic terms, and some groups that lean Democratic today are African Americans, Latinos, the college educated, women, and the young. Addressing each group separately, why specifically does that group lean Democratic, and explain fully? Addressing each group separately, what are countervailing forces that could lead to some Republican gains, and be specific? Which of these groups do you yourself fall into, are you consistent with the group’s norm, and explain why or why not?

4) We studied how the Mississippi state Democratic Party went through an historic evolution of 11 different stages, beginning with the pre-1964 period and ending with the 21^st century. What were each of those 11 different stages, and explain what the relations between white and black Democrats were in each stage, and how power was shared (or not)? Explain each stage fully with specific examples.