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PS360 - Parties and Elections
Friday, September 20, 2002
Professor Renka

PS360 Exam No. 1 - Essay Section

Essay is worth 100 points.  Choose one of the following topics.    The essay should be a paper of approximately 2 and ˝ to 3 normal, honest pages in length.  Be sure to properly cite all source material, including regular class readings.  Due date:  Wednesday, September 25 by  class time.  If you cannot avoid missing the class, send paper to me via email to rdrenka@semo.edu or FAX to me at 573/6512695.

1.  The diverse and decentralized American democratic system has had just two major  national parties all the way from the Civil War through 2002.  First, cite pertinent evidence  showing that the American system has such a duopoly.  Then explain why this duopoly has  existed, citing the major factors that contribute to it.

2.  We’ve read plenty about partisan realignments, including those of years 1828, 1860, 1896, 1932, and (in dispute) 1964.  Explain what the term means, using illustrations from the readings  and from other pertinent evidence.   Using the historical evidence on the issues that produced  such fundamental redefinitions of each major party coalition, try to characterize the nature  of factors that produce a partisan realignment.