What is an ideology?
A collectively held set of beliefs
What is generally the ideology of Democrats?
- have a progressive attitude on social and moral issues e.g. crime
- support greater government intervention in the national economy
- support government provision of social welfare
What is generally the ideology of republicans?
- have a conservative attitude on social and moral issues
- advocate more restricted governmental intervention in the national economy
- have a preference for personal responsibility
Give evidence for the increasing polarisation of parties in the USA
When asked ‘do you think there are any important differences in what republicans and democrats stand for?’ In 2012 81% said yes 18% said no - a significant drop from when it was asked in 1972 and 44% said no
When asked ‘is one party more conservative than the other?’ (2012) 73% said yes
What are the democrat factions within the party?
Liberals
Moderate
Conservatives
What do Liberal Democrats generally support?
- progressive
- seen as radical wing of the party
- push for social justice & greater welfare
- increased taxes on the wealthy
What do moderate democrats generally support?
- centrists (middle ground)
- willing to compromise with republicans
- willing to accept some limitations on social issues e.g. abortion, anti terror laws
- biggest group in terms of votes
Give an example of a moderate democrat
Joe Biden
What do Conservative democrats generally support?
- socially conservative on moral issues (religion, guns etc) while disagreeing on the republican party’s conservative views on trade and tax
Give evidence of conflict between moderate and liberal democrats
The 2020 presidential democratic primary saw conflict in terms of ideology between moderate Biden and the more liberal Warren and Sanders
In 2015 __ conservative democrats supported extra screening of Iraqi & Syrian refugees
47
What are the three republican factions?
Moderate
Social
Fiscal
What do moderate republicans generally support?
- traditional conservative economic policies e.g. low taxation, limited govt
- more socially liberal than social conservatives e.g. abortion support
- accept higher taxes & more govt programmes to support social harmony
Give an example of a moderate republican
George Bush - increased govt expenditure & pushed for more liberal immigration reform
What do social republicans generally support?
- conservative on social, moral & religious issues e.g. in 2016 only a few republicans voted for gays rights legislative was amended in support of the nuclear family
- tend to support official conservative republican platform on economy and foreign affairs
- have an increased dominance in the party
What do fiscal conservatives generally support?
- smaller govt - a laissez fair economy
- most support abolition of inheritance tax, reduction in other taxes & cuts in federal expenditure
What 5 categories is a party’s support split under?
- geographic region
- religion
- race
- gender
- class and education
What is the gender gap?
the gap between the support given to a candidate by women and the support given to them by men
Why do republicans have a trend of poor showing amongst women voters?
Due to policy difference between the two major parties i.e. the Democratic Party tends to take policy positions more favoured by women
What was Trump’s gender gap in the 2020 presidential election?
53% = male voters
42% = women voters
What was Biden’s gender gap in the 2020 presidential election?
57% = women voters
45% = male voters
Why is the Democratic Party generally more popular with women voters?
They tend to take policy positions more favoured by women e.g. support abortion rights & gun control etc
Which minority groups are the most significant in terms of the numbers who vote?
Black Americans
Hispanic/Latinx people
Who do minority groups tend to give their vote to?
The Democratic Party
