Decline in American Political Party Influence

In the political landscape of today, a significant cultural shift is underway, one that is challenging the traditional structures of political parties. This transformation is particularly evident among young Americans and European voters, as they gravitate towards independent voices and loose network structures.

According to pollster Anna Greenberg, young Americans are still spiritual but are not drawn to traditional religious institutions. Instead, they seem to be seeking a more personal and flexible approach to their beliefs, mirroring their preferences in politics. This trend is also reflected in the decline of party affiliation among young adults.

In 2004, fewer than one in 10 young adults actively participated in a party, a proportion that fell to one in 40 by 2014. This shift is further highlighted by the findings of the Pew Research Center, which revealed that 48% of millennials (ages 18-33) identify as independents. This figure underscores the growing disillusionment with the traditional party system among the younger generation.

This cultural shift is bad news for political parties, which are hierarchical organizations with officers, rules, official platforms, and membership criteria. Today's young voters have grown up in an age of social media and prefer loose networks that allow individuals to personalize their views and form and shift relationships freely. This preference is evident in the success of movements like Los Indignados in Spain, which began as a decentralized online social movement but morphed into a political party, Podemos, that holds the third-largest number of seats in the Spanish parliament.

The political party Podemos has been notably popular among young voters, often seen as a left-wing movement with strong local support, especially in municipalities. Similarly, in the United States, Senator Bernie Sanders, a party outsider who ran his previous campaigns as a socialist and defeated Democrats on the way to statewide office, has garnered significant support from young Democratic primary voters.

Interestingly, young Democratic primary voters do not seem to be fazed by Sanders' career outside the Democratic Party, and it may even increase his appeal with youth. This trend is further supported by the research team at Tufts University's Tisch College, which found that young Americans (18-30) have so far cast more votes for Senator Sanders than for Secretary Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump combined in the presidential primary campaigns.

However, the decline of party affiliation among young voters is not without its challenges. The campaign finance reforms of the 1970s restricted the parties' ability to raise and spend money, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by outside entities and wealthy individuals such as the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers' political network, for instance, employs 3.5 times as many people as the Republican National Committee does.

Moreover, parties now do very little and are best described as brand names for loosely connected networks of entrepreneurial candidates, donors, and advocacy organizations. Parties don't hire, contact, or educate many young people or offer them paths to leadership. This lack of engagement and investment in the next generation of political leaders is a concern for those who believe in the importance of political parties in shaping democratic societies.

Political scientists are skeptical about the independent option in surveys, as most independents still vote consistently with one party or the other. However, the rise of independent candidates and movements like Podemos and Sanders' campaign suggest that the traditional party system may be evolving to accommodate this shift in voter preferences.

In conclusion, the cultural shift towards independent politics among young voters presents both opportunities and challenges for political parties. While the decline in party affiliation may weaken the traditional structures of political parties, it also offers an opportunity for new voices and ideas to emerge and shape the political landscape. The future of politics will likely be characterised by a more fluid and diverse political landscape, one that is less tied to traditional party structures and more responsive to the changing needs and preferences of voters.