The Vital Center

Hollow political parties, with Sam Rosenfeld and Daniel Schlozman

Sep 24, 2024
Sam Rosenfeld and Daniel Schlozman are political science professors and co-authors of 'The Hollow Parties,' exploring the disarray within American political parties. They delve into how both the Republican and Democratic parties have become 'hollow,' losing their core functions like voter mobilization. The speakers discuss the rise of para-parties, the impact of Trumpism, and the need for local civic engagement to combat polarization. Their insights connect historical narratives with modern challenges, offering a fresh perspective on party dynamics in American politics.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Mixing APD And History To Trace Change

  • The authors blend American political development and history to explain durable change over time.
  • They use qualitative and quantitative methods to trace how institutions and ideas interact across eras.
INSIGHT

Hollowness Means Organizational Incapacity

  • Parties are "hollow" when they cannot organize collective action either internally or externally.
  • That hollowness pairs surface strength with underlying incapacity and erodes trust among actors and voters.
INSIGHT

Hollowness Manifests Differently By Party

  • Democrats have become fragmented and dominated by outside groups that dilute coherent action.
  • Republicans exhibit hollowness as extremism and a failure to police guardrails, especially under Trumpism.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app