The Pathway to Party Factionalization

• In Event: Parties and Ideologies in American Politics

Abstract

Moderates have found the politics of the last few decades deeply depressing. American political parties have increasingly been captured by their ideological extremes and, as a consequence, the space for cross-party coalition-building has shrunk. Ideological moderates have searched for the bug in American institutions that is responsible for such extreme systemic dysfunction, embracing institutional reforms like rank choice voting and non-partisan districting. None of these reforms is likely to succeed, however, because they do not address the disproportionate political mobilization of the ideological extremes as compared to moderates. We argue that the key to building a more deliberative, entrepreneurial and productive political system in which moderates have more sway is building strong, organizationally deep moderate factions in both parties. The opportunity to build such factions will increase in the next few years, as even further extremism in both parties provides openings for moderate factions. Critically, however, we do not believe that this outcome is structurally determined, and it requires the existence of shrewd, strategic, long-term political investment on the part of moderates.

Authors

• Steven M. Teles

• Robert P. Saldin, University of Montana