Party Organisation in the USA (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
Party Organisation in the USA
The federal system and party structure
The United States operated under a federal system of government during the New Deal period. This meant that political authority was divided between the national government in Washington DC and individual state governments. Between 1933 and 1941, there were 48 separate state administrations, each with distinct responsibilities.
The federal system created a unique political landscape where power was distributed vertically across different levels of government. This structure profoundly influenced how political parties organized themselves and how they competed for power at both national and state levels.
The federal government handled major national concerns such as:
- Foreign policy and international relations
- National defence
- Crime prevention across state boundaries
- Interstate commerce and trade
Meanwhile, state governments controlled crucial domestic areas including:
- Education systems
- Law enforcement and public order
- Local legislation
This division of power shaped how political parties operated in America. Both the Democratic Party and Republican Party were organised at state level, with each state maintaining its own separate party organisation. These state-based structures only came together nationally once every four years to select presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Deep divisions within the Democratic Party
The Democratic Party dominated American politics during the New Deal years (1933-1941), but it was far from unified. The party contained dramatically different political viewpoints depending on geographic location.
Northern Democrats (states like New York and Massachusetts):
- Heavily influenced by Irish, Italian and German American communities
- Adopted liberal policies on social reform
- Supported progressive approaches to race relations
- Generally more supportive of federal intervention
Southern Democrats (former Confederate states):
- Dominated by white American interests
- Strong supporters of legal racial segregation
- Opposed federal interference in state racial policies
- Committed to maintaining white supremacy through law
Understanding the Democratic Party's Internal Conflict:
The Democratic Party was essentially two parties in one, with Northern and Southern Democrats holding fundamentally opposed views on racial equality and the role of federal government. This internal division would prove crucial in shaping civil rights legislation and limiting progress on racial equality during the New Deal era.
What united the party: Before 1933, the common thread binding Democrats together was their commitment to strong local state government and resistance to federal power. This principle allowed both liberal northerners and segregationist southerners to coexist within the same party structure.
The Southern Democrats' grip on power
The Democratic Party had maintained an iron grip on southern state governments since Reconstruction ended in 1877. This dominance was absolute and unbroken. Every single election year since 1877 saw:
- Democrats controlling all southern state governments
- Democratic congressmen representing southern districts in Washington DC
- Democratic senators elected from every southern state
The Scale of Democratic Dominance:
The November 1932 congressional elections demonstrated this dominance spectacularly. The Democratic Party won:
- Every single seat in the House of Representatives across all former Confederate states
- Every Senate seat that was up for election in the South
- Control of all former Confederate state governments
This unprecedented sweep gave Southern Democrats commanding influence over national legislation.
This meant that by 1933, Southern Democrats wielded enormous influence in Congress and could significantly impact national legislation, including any measures affecting Black civil rights.
Why Democrats dominated the South
Three key factors explain the Democratic stranglehold on southern politics:
Republican Party associations with the Civil War
The Republican Party faced insurmountable historical obstacles in the South. White southerners associated Republicans with:
- The northern side in the Civil War
- The freeing of enslaved people in 1865
- The military occupation of southern states during Reconstruction
- Federal interference in southern affairs
These historical grievances made it virtually impossible for Republicans to win southern support, regardless of their policies.
The Republican Party's association with Abraham Lincoln and the Union victory created deep-seated resentment among white southerners that persisted for generations. This historical legacy effectively made the South a one-party region, as voting Republican was seen as a betrayal of southern identity and interests.
Discriminatory legislation and disenfranchisement
From 1887 onwards, Democrat-controlled state governments systematically introduced laws designed to discriminate against Black Americans. By 1933, these measures had successfully disenfranchised huge numbers of potential Black voters through:
- Literacy tests
- Poll taxes
- Grandfather clauses
- Other legal barriers to voting
This meant that the Black population, which might have supported Republicans or challenged Democratic dominance, was effectively excluded from the political process.
The Impact of Voter Suppression:
The systematic disenfranchisement of Black voters was not merely a side effect of Democratic policies—it was a deliberate strategy to maintain power. By removing the very population most likely to challenge their dominance, Southern Democrats ensured their electoral success for decades.
Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering was a crucial tool for maintaining Democratic power. This practice involved Democrat-controlled state governments deliberately manipulating:
- State government constituency boundaries
- Congressional district boundaries
These boundaries were drawn strategically to maximise the number of seats Democrats could win. By concentrating opposition voters in a few districts and spreading Democratic supporters across many districts, they ensured continued electoral success.
Timeline: Key developments 1935-1941
1935:
- Beginning of the Second New Deal, including the Wagner Act (protecting workers' rights to organise) and the Social Security Act (establishing welfare provisions)
1936:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt won a landslide victory in the presidential election, demonstrating the New Deal's popularity
1937:
- President Roosevelt failed in his attempt to reform the US Supreme Court (the "court-packing" plan)
- The Conservative Coalition formed, bringing together Republicans and Southern Democrats to oppose further New Deal reforms
1940:
- Franklin Roosevelt became the only president elected for a third term, breaking the traditional two-term limit
1941:
- The USA joined the Second World War, shifting national priorities away from domestic reform
The Conservative Coalition's Significance:
The formation of the Conservative Coalition in 1937 was particularly significant for race relations. It represented Southern Democrats' willingness to abandon their party's liberal northern wing and ally with Republicans when it came to blocking civil rights progress and further social reforms. This cross-party alliance would prove to be a formidable obstacle to civil rights legislation for decades to come.
Summary
Key Points to Remember:
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The federal system divided power between national and state governments, giving Southern Democrats control over crucial areas like education and law enforcement in their states
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The Democratic Party was deeply divided between liberal northerners and segregationist southerners, united only by support for state rights before 1933
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Southern Democrats completely dominated their region's politics from 1877 to 1941, winning every congressional and state election
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Three factors maintained Democratic control: Republican association with the Civil War, systematic disenfranchisement of Black voters through discriminatory laws, and gerrymandering of electoral boundaries
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The Conservative Coalition (1937) saw Southern Democrats ally with Republicans to block New Deal reforms and civil rights progress, demonstrating their power to hinder federal action on racial equality