Date of Award
5-2025
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Political Science BA
Department
Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs
First Advisor
Dr. Marek Steedman, Ph.D.
Advisor Department
Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs
Abstract
Attributable to the First and Second World Wars, the 20th-century military mobilization of the American South caused significant change in the region as the previously rural locale was economically and socially transformed. During this period, the American South also experienced a major shift in partisan politics as traditional voter patterns changed and party alignments were reshaped. This transformation, or realignment as it is called, took place as rooted Democratic-leaning voting behaviors were altered by increasing trends of Republican support. Previous literature discusses the history of the military and realignment, with both fields recognizing the significance of economic development. Due to parallels between the economic and social changes caused by military base establishment and those seen in the more urban areas of the South during realignment, this thesis tested the position that proximity to a Mississippi military base would initiate shifts in realignment as counties housing or surrounding an installation would experience accelerated Republican support compared to counties not geographically relevant to a base. For the 1968 to 1980 presidential general election years, descriptive statistical findings determined that base-relevant counties generally did experience higher average percentages of Republican support for presidential candidates, as well as higher average percentages of urban populations, white populations, and median family incomes. This suggests that attitudes of economic conservatism, as produced by post-war economic development, largely impacted the voting behavior of this time. These unique findings show that both the physical and institutional reach of military bases were likely influential on broader political partisan shifts in the realigning South.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Steen, Regan, "Bases of Influence: Military Installations and Partisan Realignment in the American South" (2025). Honors Theses. 1038.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/1038