Realignment

Definition

Realignment refers to a significant and long-lasting shift in the political allegiances of voters, leading to a change in the dominant political party or coalition. It is a fundamental transformation in the electorate's voting patterns and party loyalties, often driven by major social, economic, or political events.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Realignment can occur due to demographic shifts, economic changes, or the emergence of new political issues that reshape the electorate's priorities.
2. Realignments often coincide with critical elections, where a new coalition of voters coalesces around a dominant party or political platform.
3. Realignments can lead to the decline of one major party and the rise of another, or the emergence of a new party that challenges the existing two-party system.
4. Realignments can have long-lasting effects on the policy agenda, as the dominant party or coalition seeks to enact its preferred policies and programs.
5. Partisan dealignment, or the weakening of party loyalties, can contribute to the conditions for a realignment by creating a more fluid and responsive electorate.

Review Questions

• Explain how realignment can lead to a change in the dominant political party or coalition.
  • Realignment occurs when there is a significant and lasting shift in the political allegiances of voters, leading to a change in the relative strength of the major political parties. This can happen due to demographic changes, economic shifts, or the emergence of new political issues that reshape the electorate's priorities. As voters' party loyalties and voting patterns change, a new coalition of voters can coalesce around a dominant party or political platform, causing the decline of one major party and the rise of another, or the emergence of a new party that challenges the existing two-party system.
• Describe the relationship between realignment and critical elections.
  • Realignments often coincide with critical elections, which are pivotal moments that mark the beginning of a new political era. Critical elections are characterized by a significant and lasting change in the electorate's voting behavior and party loyalties. These elections can serve as catalysts for realignment, as voters shift their party affiliations and a new coalition of voters coalesces around a dominant party or political platform. The outcome of critical elections can have long-lasting effects on the policy agenda, as the dominant party or coalition seeks to enact its preferred policies and programs.
• Analyze how partisan dealignment can contribute to the conditions for a realignment.
  • Partisan dealignment, or the gradual weakening of voters' attachment to a particular political party, can create the conditions for a realignment. As voters become less loyal to a specific party and more independent or swing voters emerge, the electorate becomes more fluid and responsive to changes in the political landscape. This weakening of party loyalties can make the electorate more susceptible to a significant and lasting shift in voting patterns, as voters are more open to aligning with a new party or political platform that better reflects their evolving priorities and concerns. The rise of independent and swing voters can also make it more difficult for the existing major parties to maintain their dominance, paving the way for a realignment.

Related terms

Party Realignment:

The process by which voters shift their party affiliation, causing a substantial and durable change in the relative strength of the major political parties.

Critical Election: A pivotal election that marks the beginning of a new political era, characterized by a significant and lasting change in the electorate's voting behavior and party loyalties.

Partisan Dealignment: The gradual weakening of voters' attachment to a particular political party, leading to a decline in party identification and an increase in independent or swing voters.