Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumParty Realignments and Shifts in Party Structure

The table below shows the percentage of votes cast for the Democratic presidential candidate by two select voter groups in consecutive elections:

Election YearNorthern Industrial Laborers (%)African American Voters (%)
192438%10%
192842%15%
193258%23%
193668%71%
194065%67%

Which of the following concepts is best illustrated by the data in the table?

  1. Party realignment, as major voter groups permanently shifted their party allegiance during a period of national crisis.Answer
  2. B
    Party dealignment, as voters chose to abandon both major political parties to register as independent voters.
  3. C
    Retrospective voting, as citizens evaluated the past performance of individual candidates rather than party platforms.
  4. D
    Interest group pluralism, as competing advocacy organizations successfully lobbied for new labor and civil rights laws.

Answer

Party realignment, as major voter groups permanently shifted their party allegiance during a period of national crisis.
The correct answer states that party realignment occurred. The data demonstrates a permanent, long-term shift in the political alignment of two major voting groups—Northern industrial laborers and African Americans—from voting predominantly non-Democratic in the 1920s to overwhelmingly supporting the Democratic candidate in 1936 and 1940. This enduring transformation in party coalitions, triggered by the national crisis of the Great Depression, represents a classic party realignment.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the table data for trends in the two groups' voting behavior over time.
Before 1932, support for the Democratic candidate was low among both groups (10% to 42%). Starting in 1932 and continuing through 1940, support surged and stabilized at high levels (58% to 71%).
Identifying shifts in voter behavior requires comparing percentage changes across consecutive election cycles.
2
Determine if the shift is temporary or permanent.
The shift persists over multiple consecutive elections (1932, 1936, 1940), indicating a long-term electoral change rather than a single-election deviation.
Realignment is characterized by enduring, long-term shifts in coalition support.
3
Match the observed political phenomenon with the correct AP government concept.
A permanent shift in party coalitions in response to a major event (the Great Depression) is defined as a party realignment.
This matches the definition of party realignment, where voter groups change their party loyalty over a sustained period.

Key Concept

Party realignment
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Party Realignments and Shifts in Party Structure

More questions from this topic