What Makes a Democrat or Republican?

Since the 1700's, when the Constitution was written, society has had a particular outlook on government and politics. It began with the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, and has led up to the political parties we know toady, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. What makes for a Democrat or Republican? Why do people choose certain political parties? The obvious reason is that we agree or disagree with their political platforms and ideas, but I believe that the reasons go beyond the evident. I believe that authoritative pressure, situational pressure, and group pressure all combine to persuade people to join a particular political party.

Authoritative pressure is an uncontrollable factor that has a large affect on people's lives and the decisions they make. Throughout their lives, people are taught to listen and be obedient to parents, bosses, elders, and other people of authority. Erich Fromm, one of the twentieth century's distinguished writers and thinkers, confirms that, "For centuries kings, priests, feudal lords, industrial bosses, and parents have insisted that obedience is a virtue and disobedience is a vice"(212). During adolescence, obedience is essential for parents to teach their children, and as they grow older that obedience is still evident in their political views. Children grow up listening to their parents criticize the Democratic President or bash the Republican Senator. When children hear the strong opinion of authority, they tend to grow up believing that that particular view or opinion is correct. David Brooks, author of "The Organization Kid", agrees that "Roughly three out of four [teenagers] said they shared their parents general values"(218). One of those "general values" tends to be political views. More often than not, Democratic parents will raise Democratic children because they teach them that the political values and ideology they believe in is true; and because of authoritative obedience and pressure, children will also go into adulthood believing in those same values.

Another factor in choosing a political party is situational pressure. Situational pressure can sometimes be one of the most influential pressures in society. When placed in a situation surrounded by people who are overwhelmingly Democrat or Republican, people tend to conform to the beliefs of those around them. Philip Zimbardo, professor or psychology at Stanford University, affirms in his Stanford Prison Experiment that people tend to underestimate the power of situational pressure (209). When placed in certain institutions such as the workplace, society also tends to feel pressured to have the same political views as their colleagues. If a person works in a union affiliated company, they would be more likely to be or even become a Democrat because unions and union members are known for supporting Democratic views. In the same aspect, say for example a person was a CEO of a large corporation. They would probably support Republican values because Republicans tend to be supported by the corporate business world. Zimbardo confirms that, "educated men could be so radically transformed under the institutional pressures of a [for example] "prison environment" (209). No one likes to be considered an outsider within their workplace, and will change their ideas to "fit into" the situation they are presented with. Ian Parker, author of "Obedience", agrees that ". . .we stubbornly underestimate the influence of situation" (195). No matter what situation people are presented with, they will base their political ideas concurrent with the situational mainstream beliefs.

A third factor that greatly influences ones' decision to choose a certain political party over another is the media. As Americans, our society is constantly bombarded with pressure from the media to conform to their way of thinking. In the 1990's, pressure for teens to smoke from the media was having such a great impact that all smoking commercials were banned from being aired. If the media can have such a profound impact on smoking, wouldn't it have an even greater impact on a more difficult decision such as choosing a candidate or political party? Every four years, the two candidates running for the presidential office have a series of usually 3 debates to discuss and argue over their different and individual policies. During the debate we are able to hear the plans of each candidate and their different points of view on different topics. This can be a very informative and strictly unbiased 90 minutes of debate, until the half hour of commentary after the debate. Yet again, the media takes the chance to add their opinion about who won, who has the best policy, and how each candidate looked. It becomes hard to make an unbiased opinion when famous political commentator, George Stephanopolous, comes on the screen saying that Candidate X looked quite nervous, and Candidate Z made very good points about our foreign policy. As Americans we tend to listen to and take into great consideration what is said on TV because they are the ones on TV and they are the experts, so they must be right. When we see the ads from the opposite candidate bashing or belittling their opponent, we tend to view them as right because, why would they be on TV if they weren't correct? We are never able to simply form our own opinions and interpret the information each candidate spoke about. The media is always forcing information, not always the correct information, upon us so that we make the decision they feel we should make.

In contradiction, people may not agree that the above pressures have influence on one's decision to choose a particular political party. It is believed that people choose their political views simply by their own judgment and personal values. Some may say that outside pressures do not have an effect on the political choices we make, but that we make our own educated decisions. Yet, how do we learn how to make our own decisions? How do we know what values and issues are right and wrong? We learn these important facts through parents, teachers, media, and our peers. Parents teach us the our moral values and the difference between right and wrong; an aspect that varies from household to household. After retaining these values, our opinions are influenced by coworkers, friends, and bosses. Ian Parker also agrees that, "people tend to do things because of where they are, not who they are . . ."(195). As human beings, we have individuality and our own sense of identity, but we still continue to let others shape who we are and what we think.

As Americans, we take seriously our right to vote for whichever political party or candidate we feel will successfully represent our needs. This single right is the basis for the idea of democracy and the United States' government. It is one thing that cannot be taken away nor needs to be revealed, and therefore is thought to be a private and personal issue. Yet everyday pressures influence people to support a particular issue or criticize a candidate. If the right to vote and choose a political party is such a sacred thing, then why do people let society influence their decisions? It is because these pressures are inevitable and undefeatable. Authority always overrides, media has a great power to persuade, and situations cause us to conform to ideas that were not always our original intent.

Works Cited

Brooks, David. "The Organization Kid." Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. Brief Ed. New York: Pearson, 2004. 217-226.

Fromm, Erich. "Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem." Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. Brief Ed. New York: Pearson, 2004. 212-216.

Parker, Ian. "Obedience." Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. Brief Ed. New York: Pearson, 2004. 187-197.

Zimbardo, Philip. "The Stanford Prison Experiment." Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. Brief Ed. New York: Pearson, 2004. 199-210.