This is a visual explainer based on the Wikipedia article on Partisan (politics). Read the full source article here. (opens in new tab)

The Political Compass

An academic exploration into the dynamics of political allegiance, from democratic systems to Marxist-Leninist ideologies, and its impact on societal discourse.

What is Partisanship? 👇 Explore Research 📊

Dive in with Flashcard Learning!


When you are ready...
🎮 Play the Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge Game🎮

Defining Partisanship

Core Allegiance

At its essence, a partisan is an individual deeply committed to or a staunch supporter of a particular political party or movement. This commitment often translates into a strong adherence to the party's policies and a notable reluctance to engage in compromise with political adversaries, particularly evident within multi-party governmental structures.

Beyond Simple Affiliation

While often associated with mere membership, partisanship denotes a profound psychological identification. This goes beyond simply voting for a party; it encompasses an individual's self-perception and their alignment with a party's broader ideological framework. This deep-seated connection can influence perceptions, interpretations of events, and even responses to seemingly objective information.

Partisanship in America

Evolving Interpretations

The understanding of "partisan" in the United States has undergone a significant transformation over the past six decades. Prior to the seminal American National Election Study in 1952, an individual's partisan leanings were primarily inferred from their voting patterns. However, since this period, the term has increasingly come to signify a psychological identification with one of the dominant political parties.

This shift highlights a move from purely behavioral observation to a more nuanced understanding of political identity. Candidates frequently align with parties not only due to shared beliefs but also as a strategic pathway for career progression, as parties often provide the necessary infrastructure for political advancement. While independent candidates occasionally emerge in significant electoral contests, their victories remain rare, particularly at the presidential level, with figures like Ross Perot and John B. Anderson serving as notable, albeit infrequent, exceptions.

Eisenhower's Nonpartisan Approach

President Dwight D. Eisenhower exemplified a unique stance on partisanship. Remaining nonpartisan until his presidential campaign in 1952, he subsequently joined the Republican Party. Eisenhower expressed a genuine distaste for the more contentious aspects of partisan campaigning and governance, preferring a more collaborative approach.

His disinterest in routine party-building activities led him to delegate much of the Republican Party's organizational efforts to his Vice President, Richard Nixon. This largely nonpartisan disposition enabled Eisenhower to foster effective working relationships with prominent Democratic leaders, such as Speaker Sam Rayburn in the House and Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson in the Senate. This cooperation was politically astute for the Democrats, allowing them to leverage Eisenhower's widespread popularity by supporting a Republican president against elements within his own party.

Partiinost' in Marxism-Leninism

The Concept of 'Partiinost''

The Russian term Partiinost' (Chinese: Dangxing), often translated as "party-mindedness," "partisanship," or "party spirit," is a foundational concept within Marxism-Leninism. It functions both as a philosophical position concerning the sociology of knowledge and as an official doctrine guiding public intellectual life in the Soviet Union.

Coined by Vladimir Lenin in 1895, Partiinost' emerged as a direct challenge to the notion of objectivity in political and economic analysis, particularly in response to figures like Peter Struve. Lenin argued that in a society characterized by antagonistic classes, genuine objectivity, in the sense of non-partisanship, is inherently unattainable. Instead, he posited that class interests and material conditions inevitably shape ideology.

Objectivity and Class Interests

From a Marxist-Leninist perspective, the emphasis on a normative goal of objectivity, often championed by the bourgeoisie, is considered a delusion. Marxists, Lenin asserted, should forthrightly acknowledge their partisanship, aligning themselves unequivocally with the cause of proletarian revolution. This perspective views Partiinost' as a universal and unavoidable dimension of political and ideological existence, though its presence is frequently obscured or outright denied by the ruling class.

While the descriptive aspect of partisanship—the observation of inherent bias—had been noted by earlier thinkers such as Thrasymachus, Xenophanes, and Karl Marx, Lenin's formulation introduced a crucial normative element. He insisted that Partiinost' ought to be openly and publicly articulated whenever feasible, transforming it from a mere observation into a guiding principle for action.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia provides a clear articulation of this principle:


The Communist Party consistently upholds the principle of partiinost'.
Defending and substantiating the goals and tasks of the working class
and the policies of the Communist Party, Marxist-Leninist theory
mercilessly criticizes the exploiters' system, its politics, and its ideology.
... By contrast, the bourgeoisie, whose interests conflict with those of the
majority, is forced to hide its self-seeking aspirations, to pretend that
its economic and political aims are those of society as a whole, and to
wrap itself in the toga of non-partisanship.

Lenin also extended the concept of Partiinost' in his work Materialism and Empirio-criticism, applying it to philosophical factionalism, which he broadly defined as the ongoing struggle between idealist and materialist worldviews.

Research on Partisan Bias

Motivated Reasoning in Surveys

Empirical research has demonstrated that partisanship significantly influences how individuals respond to political surveys, even when questions are designed to elicit objective answers. Individuals with strong partisan affiliations are approximately 12% more likely to provide an incorrect answer that favors their preferred party, as opposed to an incorrect answer that benefits an opposing party.

This phenomenon is largely attributed to "motivated reasoning," a cognitive process where individuals' desires or goals influence their reasoning. In the context of surveys, this can manifest in several ways, including "cheerleading" for one's party or engaging in "congenial inference," where ambiguous information is interpreted in a manner consistent with pre-existing beliefs.

Mitigating Partisan Bias

Studies investigating methods to reduce partisan bias in survey responses have yielded insightful results. Offering a monetary incentive for correct answers has been shown to substantially decrease partisan bias, reducing it by approximately 50%—from a range of 12–15% down to about 6%. This suggests that while deeply ingrained, partisan biases can be partially counteracted when respondents are given a clear incentive for accuracy, highlighting the interplay between cognitive biases and external motivators.

Teacher's Corner

Edit and Print this course in the Wiki2Web Teacher Studio

Edit and Print Materials from this study in the wiki2web studio
Click here to open the "Partisan Politics" Wiki2Web Studio curriculum kit

Use the free Wiki2web Studio to generate printable flashcards, worksheets, exams, and export your materials as a web page or an interactive game.

True or False?

Test Your Knowledge!

Gamer's Corner

Are you ready for the Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge?

Learn about partisan_politics while playing the wiki2web Clarity Challenge game.
Unlock the mystery image and prove your knowledge by earning trophies. This simple game is addictively fun and is a great way to learn!

Play now

Explore More Topics

Discover other topics to study!

                                        

References

References

  1.  Joravsky, D. and C. Koblernicz. "Party-Mindedness" Marxism and Communism in Western Society. Ed. C. D. Kering. New York: Herder and Herder, 1973.
  2.  Smirnov, G.L. Partiinost' Great Soviet Encyclopedia. 3rd Edition. Eds. A. M. Prokhorov and M. Waxman. New York: Macmillan, 1973.
  3.  Smirnov, G.L. Partiinost' Great Soviet Encyclopedia. 3rd Edition. Eds. A. M. Prokhorov and M. Waxman. New York: Macmillan, 1973.
  4.  Joravsky, D. and C. Koblernicz. "Party-Mindedness" Marxism and Communism in Western Society. Ed. C. D. Kering. New York: Herder and Herder, 1973.
  5.  Joravsky, D. and C. Koblernicz. "Party-Mindedness" Marxism and Communism in Western Society. Ed. C. D. Kering. New York: Herder and Herder, 1973.
  6.  Smirnov, G.L. Partiinost' Great Soviet Encyclopedia. 3rd Edition. Eds. A. M. Prokhorov and M. Waxman. New York: Macmillan, 1973. Vol. 19, p. 296.
  7.  Joravsky, D. and C. Koblernicz. "Party-Mindedness" Marxism and Communism in Western Society. Ed. C. D. Kering. New York: Herder and Herder, 1973.
A full list of references for this article are available at the Partisan (politics) Wikipedia page

Feedback & Support

To report an issue with this page, or to find out ways to support the mission, please click here.

Disclaimer

Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not political or professional advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for in-depth political science research, professional analysis, or expert consultation on governance, policy, or social dynamics. Always refer to scholarly sources, official documents, and consult with qualified professionals for specific academic or practical needs. Never disregard professional or academic rigor because of something you have read on this website.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.