When Did the Democrats and Republicans Become the Parties We Know Today?

[Bo]

By that, I mean when did they adopt most elements of their current platform. I'd say 1920-1921 for the Republicans and 1932-1933 for the Democrats.

[Cubby]

The addition of a Civil Rights plank in the 1948 Democratic Platform was a huge change.

For Republicans, the Southern Strategy they developed from 1968 to present was a similar sea change. The GOP used to be a lot more progressive, they supported the Equal Rights Amendment as far back as the 1940's 

[Bo]

The addition of a Civil Rights plank in the 1948 Democratic Platform was a huge change.

For Republicans, the Southern Strategy they developed from 1968 to present was a similar sea change. The GOP used to be a lot more progressive, they supported the Equal Rights Amendment as far back as the 1940's 

I think that economically, Republicans adopted much of their current platform in 1920. Democrats adopted much of their current economic platform in 1932. I think that Democrats adopted their current social platform between 1948 and 1964, while I think Republicans adopted their current social platform between 1976 and 1980.

[Mechaman]

This:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nwIdIUVFm4

[Magic 8ball]

Democrats-1933
Republicans-1980

[Franzl]

Republicans in 1980, of course. The true Republicans in the 1920s were nothing like the corporatist party of today.

Democrats...ummm, I suppose one could say 1933, but the New Deal era is long gone, and Bill Clinton's third way is basically what Democrats have maintained since the 1990s. They're certainly no longer the "working class" party.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

American parties change what they are all the time, so the question can't really be answered.

[Bo]

Republicans-1980

Reagan recycled a lot of ideas from the 1920s Republican Presidents, so a better year for the origin of the modern Republican platform (at least on economics) would be 1920, rather than 1980.

[rebeltarian]

Republicans in 1980, of course. The true Republicans in the 1920s were nothing like the corporatist party of today.

Democrats...ummm, I suppose one could say 1933, but the New Deal era is long gone, and Bill Clinton's third way is basically what Democrats have maintained since the 1990s. They're certainly no longer the "working class" party.

I think Democrats have definitely moved away from kitchen table issues to stuff like health insurace, energy conservation and the environment in the past 10 years.  Still an economic interventionist agenda, but with a different list of priorities.

Not often mentioned is the switch between the parties on trade.  Democrats were open to free trade for decades whereas Republicans did not become decidedly lassiz-faire until the Reagan years.  Now, Democrats are more sympathetic to protectionism than any Republicans this side of Pat Buchanan.

[Bo]

Republicans in 1980, of course. The true Republicans in the 1920s were nothing like the corporatist party of today.

Democrats...ummm, I suppose one could say 1933, but the New Deal era is long gone, and Bill Clinton's third way is basically what Democrats have maintained since the 1990s. They're certainly no longer the "working class" party.

I think Democrats have definitely moved away from kitchen table issues to stuff like health insurace, energy conservation and the environment in the past 10 years.  Still an economic interventionist agenda, but with a different list of priorities.

Not often mentioned is the switch between the parties on trade.  Democrats were open to free trade for decades whereas Republicans did not become decidedly lassiz-faire until the Reagan years.  Now, Democrats are more sympathetic to protectionism than any Republicans this side of Pat Buchanan.

Reagan was not lassiez-faire. Neither were the Republican Presidents in the 1920s. Reagan was a big spender and all of those Presidents supported the Fed, which is against laissez-faire principles.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Almost all happened in 1980. The Republicans became batsh**t crazy, and the Democrats became spineless.

[rebeltarian]

Republicans in 1980, of course. The true Republicans in the 1920s were nothing like the corporatist party of today.

Democrats...ummm, I suppose one could say 1933, but the New Deal era is long gone, and Bill Clinton's third way is basically what Democrats have maintained since the 1990s. They're certainly no longer the "working class" party.

I think Democrats have definitely moved away from kitchen table issues to stuff like health insurace, energy conservation and the environment in the past 10 years.  Still an economic interventionist agenda, but with a different list of priorities.

Not often mentioned is the switch between the parties on trade.  Democrats were open to free trade for decades whereas Republicans did not become decidedly lassiz-faire until the Reagan years.  Now, Democrats are more sympathetic to protectionism than any Republicans this side of Pat Buchanan.

Reagan was not lassiez-faire. Neither were the Republican Presidents in the 1920s. Reagan was a big spender and all of those Presidents supported the Fed, which is against laissez-faire principles.

I was talking strictly regarding trade issues, where the Republicans were decidedly protectionists for decades.  Eisenhower and Nixon were free traders, but most of the party were still protectionists in those years.