Introduction
U.S. political history is directly connected to social movements occurring at different times. Since politics is the sphere that is supposed to react to emerging circumstances and societal processes, its adaptability defines the changing nature of political parties. Hence, their ideologies reflect acute problems and address them in a way that increases their influence. One of the examples of the effects of social unrest on political institutions in American history is the Civil Rights Movement, and it defined the general courses of the main parties as well as the political attitudes of people. Thus, the consideration of this historical period with regard to the country’s change in politics will reveal to what extent it contributed to the changing nature of political parties in the United States.
Political Attitudes of U.S. Citizens
Societal shifts can be seen in citizens’ attitudes, and they are primarily reflected in the country’s current politics. Researchers claim that protests tend to lead to a change in people’s perceptions of emerging issues and result in the formation of their political views. According to the study conducted by Mazumder, white citizens of the states that were engaged in the fight for civil rights tend to identify as Democrats and recognize the importance of racial equality for the government’s prosperity. In the case of the Civil Rights Movement, such an outcome explains the increased political influence of the Democratic Party that, in turn, triggered the change in its nature because of the views of people affecting the general direction.
In light of the above, it can be concluded that the shift in political perceptions resulting from emerging social unrest such as the fight for civil rights defines the changing nature of parties. In this way, they attempt to address the societal issues based on their ideologies and by adjusting to the needs of specific categories of people. This consideration allows viewing them as continuously changing institutions with a high degree of adaptability. In order to trace the effects of the Civil Rights Movement on the changes in political parties of the time, it is vital to consider them separately.
The Democratic Party and Civil Rights
The first political institution under consideration is the Democratic Party, and its participation in the Civil Rights Movement had a significant impact on its overall outcome. It was conditional upon the support from then-candidate John F. Kennedy, who helped to release Martin Luther King, Jr. from jail. Such actions helped the Party to increase its influence and gain popularity among U.S. citizens with similar attitudes. The further political course was, therefore, focused on this movement and the attempts to get more supporters by providing them with the required rights and freedoms. Hence, the shift of the Democratic Party’s orientation solely to the issues connected to the civil rights of African Americans was beneficial for it.
The change in the party’s nature was conditional upon the chosen course corresponding to the needs of the time, and this circumstance added to the interrelation between societal processes and politics. The next action that allowed the Democrats to continue increasing their popularity was the passage of the Civil Rights Act. At that time, it helped Johnson to earn the support of the majority of African American Voters. However, this initiative did not have purely positive consequences for the population group under consideration and led to the protests of Republicans. They claimed that this Act was unconstitutional since it implied the apparent preferences of one party during elections. Thus, Republicans had to readjust their course considering these events, and this necessity confirmed the changing nature of the party.
The Republican Party and Civil Rights
The political situation that stemmed largely from the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement and the effective actions of Democrats led to the attempts of the Republican Party to hold positions. Known as a political institution that was opposed to the expansion of slavery, it focused on gaining the support of white citizens. However, it does not indicate that the Party neglected the issues related to the Civil Rights Movement, but it addressed it in a different way. Thus, for example, Republicans did not explicitly state their support for the social unrest, but, in the end, their initiatives happened to be more beneficial for African American citizens than the ones of the Democrats.
As a result, the situation changed in the period from the 1860s to about the mid-1930s when African American voters started to support the Republican Party. This situation was defined by its stance regarding the protection of voting rights for all citizens, and it suited the goals of this population group best. Another circumstance that made the support of Republicans despite their opposing views was the fact that Democrats with their orientation on African American voters did not welcome their joining to the party. They only wanted to receive their support, and this situation was soon discovered. Thus, the opposition of the Democratic and the Republican Parties during the Civil Rights Movement reflects the changes in their nature depending on the circumstances they intend to use for their benefit.
The Civil Rights Act
Over the course of the historical period under consideration, Democrats and Republicans were attempting to increase their support by protesters and white citizens in all possible ways, one of which was the Civil Rights Act. It provided for equal access to public accommodation, was seemingly beneficial for African American citizens, and did not imply any complications of a political character. However, as it was mentioned above, such a measure allowing to enhance the influence of the Democratic Party was controversial due to its non-compliance with constitutional regulations. This Act was viewed as an unlawful extension of federal power. This contradiction significantly contributed to the opposition of the Parties and also led to specific changes in political attitudes.
The situation with the passage of the Civil Rights Act is another example of the shifts in political institutions that have to protect their interests in such contentious cases. It required specific consideration by the Supreme Court since the Parties did not manage to reach an agreement in the matter. As a result, the Act was proved to be a constitutional exercise as it implied the application for the purpose of regulating interstate commercial affairs. Nevertheless, this occurrence added to the impact the Civil Rights Movement had on the nature of the Republican and Democratic Parties and their capability to address the changes by readjusting the general course.
Conclusion
To sum up, the development of political processes in the course of American history proves their connection to social unrest as in the case of the Civil Rights Movement. In that situation, the leading political parties of the country, Republicans and Democrats, made attempts to readjust their actions in accordance with the requirements of African American citizens while respecting the interests of white people. In this way, they confirmed the changing nature of political institutions that depends on external circumstances related to American society and its shifts. It allows concluding on the possibility of considering political and societal processes in a combination in order to enhance their understanding since they are directly connected to each other.
Bibliography
Delmont, Matthew. “When Black Voters Excited Left.” The Atlantic, 2016. Web.
“Document: Chapter 26: The Civil Rights Act, 1964.” Teaching American History. Web. 2020.
Hutter, Swen, Hanspeter Kriesi, and Jasmine Lorenzini. “Social Movements in Interaction with Political Parties.” In The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Social Movements, edited by A. David Snow, A. Sarah Soule, Hanspeter Kriesi, and J. Holly McCammon, 322-337. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2018.
Lyman, Brian. “Fact Check: Yes, Historians Do Teach That First Black Members of Congress Were Republicans.” USA Today, 2020, Web.
Mazumder, Soumyajit. “The Persistent Effect of US Civil Rights Protests on Political Attitudes.” American Journal of Political Science 62, no. 4 (2018): 922-935.