The tea party movement appears to be a rather unique entity. There is much confusion as to the exact classification of the Tea Party movement. Are they a political party, an interest group, or a social movement? Even after countless internet searches a definitive answer was seemingly nowhere to be found. There are three possible classifications of the Tea Party movement that will be explored. As well as information on which of the three systems would be the more effective route for the movement to take and why that route would be the most effective. This should paint a clearer picture of the Tea Party movement and their actual classification. The first look will be at whether or not the Tea Party is a political party, an interest group, or a social movement. And then at what would have been the more effective approach and why that approach would have been more effective. The hope is that by the end of this, the reader will have a better idea of the Tea Party movement’s position as a social movement and why a becoming a separate political party would have been their most effective approach.
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Is the Tea Party movement a political party, an interest group, or a social movement? Power and Choice: An Introduction to Political Science defines a political party as “a group of officials or would be officials who are linked with a sizable group of citizens into an organization. A chief objective of this organization is to ensure that its officials attain power and are maintained in power” (Shively, 2012, p. 251).
The Tea Party movement clearly has a group of officials that they wanted to place into power. However, with no centralized leadership and little to no attempt to separate from the Republican Party one would be hard-pressed to argue them as a political party. Also, Ron Paul, who is often referred to as the godfather of the Tea Party movement, is currently running for the republican nomination. The republican candidates are frequently campaigning for the votes of the Tea Party voters. Along with, seemingly every news outlet constantly mentioning how the republicans are fighting for the Tea Party vote the line between the two parties continue to blur.
A Washington Post article states, “at a 2012 presidential forum in New Orleans in June, (Michelle) Bachmann estimated that the tea party consists of 60 percent republicans, 20 percent independents and 20 percent democrats” (Blake, Aaron “Tea party democrats do exist.” Washington Post. July 6, 2011. Web. March 7, 2012).
This tells me that the Tea Party movement is a branch of the Republican Party that has differing views on some major issues, but still identifies themselves as republicans. Therefore, no, by this evidence the Tea Party movement is not a political party. The Tea Party movement, however, also is not an interest group. According to Power and Choice: An Introduction to Political Science an interest group is an “organized group of citizens that has one of its goals ensuring that the state follows certain policies” (Shively, 2012, p. 251).
Historically groups such as Greenpeace, the National Rifle Association and the Air Force Sergeants Association have been classified as interest or “pressure” groups.
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These groups use their organization as a means to represent public opinion to government officials. Looking at the definition of interest group one could possibly deduce that the Tea Party movement must be an interest group. Do they want to ensure that the state follows certain policies? Yes. They demand lower taxes, call for the elimination of deficit spending, and insist the government abides by the Constitution and the institution of fiscally conservative policies to eliminate the national debt. Just like with the democratic and republican political parties, the Tea Party movement shares some similarities with interest groups. One could easily consider the Tea Party movement an interest group. Especially if they have read the Encyclopedia definition of interest group, “also called special interest group or pressure group, any association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favor. All interest groups share a desire to affect government policy to benefit themselves or their causes.
Their goal could be a policy that exclusively benefits group members or one segment of society (e.g., government subsidies for farmers) or a policy that advances a broader public purpose (e.g., improving air quality).
They attempt to achieve their goals by lobbying” (interest group (2012) In Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/290136/interest-group).
After reading that definition it seems that the Tea Party movement is an interest group, they do fit the definition extremely well. However, there is one other option. The last possible classification to be explored is the social movement. Does the Tea Party movement fit the mold of a social movement? A social movement is defined as “loosely organized but sustained campaigns in support of a social goal, typically either the implementation or the prevention of a change in society’s structure or values. Although social movements differ in size, they are all essentially collective.
That is, they result from the more or less spontaneous coming together of people whose relationships are not defined by rules and procedures but who merely share a common outlook on society” social movement (social movement (2012) In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551335/social-movement).
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The Tea Party movement came to be in 2009 and 2010 with distrust in elected officials and wanting to remove them from power. They believe that the government has ignored the constitutional order of America (Shively, 2012, p. 309).
To a person who is sparsely active in politics, the Tea Party movement may seem to be spontaneous and out of nowhere. But it could be easily argued that the political activist involved carried their feelings for many years prior to organizing the movement. But to an outsider they may have appeared to burst onto the scene. The Tea Party movement seems to be searching for a change in what they believe to be unconstitutional actions of the United States government, as well as trying to prevent the invasion of constitutional rights.
Earlier, it was stated how one could see classifying the Tea Party movement as an interest group. However, after further research they seem to fit the mold of a social movement slightly more. Since the Tea Party movement is a social movement and not an interest group or political party, it needs to be determined which one would have been the best course of action for the movement to take. The best move the Tea Party movement could make would be to become a separate political party. As a political party they would be able to run on a platform consisting completely of their own views. Why attempt to ride the coattails of the Republican Party? If the views differ enough to rally and callout the current elected officials, regardless of party, then new ones. The new party won’t have to worry about being held back by the differing views of the party of which they chose to attach themselves.
If the numbers quoted earlier from Michelle Bachmann are correct (60 percent republicans, 20 percent independents and 20 percent democrats) they should have a rather good chance at winning some elections. Mike Gallagher, a Fox News Contributor, stated in a 2009 interview with Bill O’Reilly that, he’d “happily trade is republican card for a tea party card, if there was such a thing.” Now, obviously this doesn’t state how many hardline Tea Party voters there are, but it says that they appeal to some members of both major parties as well as the independents.
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Maybe running separately would give them a better chance of pulling more voters from the other parties and uniting their followers even more. After first comparing the Tea Party movement to interest groups, and then social movements and finally political parties, the evidence showed that they are more of a social movement than the other two. The Encyclopedia definition cited earlier was what led to this conclusion. Although it is strictly an opinion, the Tea Party movement would be better served as a political party. This is mainly because they could focus their time and efforts on a campaign consisting of their views. Would they get my vote? No. But at least they would be able to round up all of their supporters into one basket.
Works Cited
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2012).
Retrieved March 19, 2102, from encyclopediabritannica.com: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551335/social-movement
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2012).
Retrieved March 19, 2012, from encyclopediabritannica.com: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/290136/interest-group
Shively, W. P. (2012).
Power & Choice: An Introduction to Political Science. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill.
