Did republicans and democrats switch at one point in history?

Question

I'm talking about social issues...like civil rights and women's suffrage... It's my understanding that the Republican party was the one that was AGAINST slavery and was more I guess, liberal than their conservative democrats from the South... What happened afterwards? Because it seems like during the civil rights movement, it was the opposite... most republicans were voting against black vote and democrats the contrary....

Answer 1

There was a bit of a switch up during the civil rights era. A lot of Democrats did not like the increasingly more liberal platform (namely in civil rights and other social programs) became Republicans. There were several politicians who were against integration, to name a few, there was Strom Thurmond, Albert Watson, Jesse Helms, Trent Lot, George Wallace ... All of these are former Democrats who switched their party affiliations because they were FOR segregation.

Here's a little summary about the change of events:
African-Americans, who had traditionally given strong support to the Republican Party since the American Civil War, shifted to the Democratic Party in the 1930s, largely due to New Deal relief programs, patronage offers, and the advocacy of civil rights by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In many cities, such as Chicago, entire ward-based Republican apparatuses in black neighborhoods switched parties virtually overnight. However, in the late 1960s, the New Deal Coalition began to fracture, as more Democratic leaders voiced support for civil rights, upsetting the party's traditional base of conservative Southern Democrats and ethnic Catholics in Northern cities. After Harry Truman's platform showed support for civil rights and desegregation laws during the 1948 Democratic National Convention, some Southern Democrats, called "Dixiecrats" temporarily abandoned the national party and voted for South Carolina governor Strom Thurmond. They voted for his electors on the regular state Democratic ticket. Although Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower carried half the South in 1952 and 1956, and Sen. Barry Goldwater also carried five Southern states in 1964, Democrat Jimmy Carter carried all of the South except Virginia.

The national party's dramatic reversal on civil rights issues culminated when Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On doing so he commented, "We have lost the South for a generation." Meanwhile, the Republicans, led again by Richard Nixon, were beginning to implement their Southern strategy, which aimed to resist federal encroachment on the states, while appealing to residual racist feelings among conservative and moderate white Southerners in the rapidly growing cities and suburbs of the South.

There's a lot of history, but that provides you with some helpful information I hope. But the shift in the party loyalties and platform is why you have more African American Democrats.

Answer 2

The biggest "switch" occurred during Nixon's run for President when the "Southern Strategy" was adopted. Most of the Southern Democrats were against laws regarding integration and the end of "Separate but Equal" treatment of minorities. Some of the biggest racists of the time period were Democrats.

At the same time, Northern Democrats (and a few Southern Democrats) were the ones that worked with some New England Republicans to pass Civil Rights Legislation.

This did not sit well with the Conservative Southern Democrats. Thus, Nixon's team which included Harry Dent and Strom Thurmond (who had switched to Republican in 1964) formulated a strategy in the South where Nixon would tout "states' rights". States Rights was code for the defense of state laws that limited the rights of minorities.

It worked. Nixon, - George Wallace, the vehemently (at the time) racist Governor of Alabama who ran as an Independent - took all former Confederate States except Texas.

Answer 3

The first republican candidate of notice was Lincoln who was credited with freeing the slaves.

The republicans have been trying to undo that mistake ever since.

The democrats had to also change their position or the would not be a separate party.

I think they are both starting to look more and more alike all the time and at some point they will just merge together.

Answer 4

Yes. Originally, most Democrats kept their cross-dressing tendancies private. For example, J. Edgar Hoover was not outed as a cross-dresser until the Nixon Administration. In contrast, Republicans used to wear wigs all the time, especially in Congress. Today, the only Republicans that wear wigs are women having a bad hair day and Donald Trump.

Answer 5

In the post civil war south, it was democrats who started and operated the KKK. It was democrats who instituted poll taxes and other measures to deny blacks the vote.

In modern times it was democrats who filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It was republicans that got it passed.

So, to answer your question, the republicans have been remarkably consistent on upholding individual freedoms. It was the democrats who switched from owning slaves to enslaving people through government hand-outs.

Answer 6

its true...Lincoln was a republican, and while he wasn't technically AGAINST slavery nor did he ABOLISH slavery as it has been claimed in the history books, he was very liberal, and he led the way for the freedom of slaves. At the same time, the democrats in the south were pro-slavery. that was a good question.

Answer 7

The two have in a way switched the ideologies behind the party platforms. You're right. It did occur prior to civil rights and was in large part due to African American political participation. I don't know if you're in school, college or just curious, but consider a class in minority politics if you're interested in these types of things.

Answer 8

yes, in many ways they did switch some ideologies.

mostly because the republicans started out anti capitalist
but ended up supercapitalist.

Answer 9

YES! I asked the same question not too long ago.

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