Citizens' Groups and Political Parties in the United States

The relationship between political parties and citizens' groups in the United States contains elements of both competition and cooperation. Citizens' groups have the potential to compete with parties for individuals' loyalty, time, and money; for influence on the media's agenda; and for candidates' attention. In fact, voter attachment to the major parties began to decline just at the time that the number of citizens' groups was increasing, during the 1960s and 1970s. But other aspects of the parties either held their own or strengthened during this time. During the Reagan era, the increasingly ideological tone of national politics polarized both groups and parties and stimulated greater efforts at collaboration between them. Substantial conflict between groups and party leaders remains in the presidential nominating process, however, as can be seen in a case study of the 1992 Republican platform.