현대미국의 단일쟁점정치와 정당정치의 변동

Abstract

This paper examines the rise of single issue groups and analyses its consequences on party politics in the U. S. Since 1970's, there has been a massive increase in the number, and the influence of single issue groups whose activities focus on only "one" narrow issue such as abortion and mobilize only "one" narrow group of

voters to whom the chosen single issue can appeal. By definition, these single issue groups disregard other issues, no matter how broad and important they are, and do not care for other groups of voters. They lead to "exclusive politics" where each single issue group with its own group of supporters individually compete for

achieving its own goals that cannot be shared with other groups. In that sense, single issue politics may erode the very foundation of American democracy -- that is, the "catch-all" nature of political parties which has contributed to compromise and integration in a very pluralistic society. Christian coalition will be analysed to

corroborate the argument.