Linkage Institutions: Connecting Citizens to Government

In AP US Government and Politics, Unit 5 focuses on how citizens organize to influence the government. Linkage Institutions are the channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. This note covers the three main non-media linkage institutions: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Elections (in the context of lobbying).

Political Parties: Structure and Function

A Political Party is an organized group of people who share similar political views and work to influence the government in support of those views. Crucially, unlike interest groups, political parties seek to elect candidates to public office.

Core Functions of Political Parties

Parties act as the glue in the American political system. Their primary goal is winning elections, but they serve several specific functions:

Mobilization and Education of Voters: Parties run