Elmer Eric Schattschneider

Elmer Eric Schattschneider (born Aug. 11, 1892, Bethany, Minn., U.S.β€”died March 4, 1971, Old Saybrook, Conn.) was a U.S. political scientist and educator known for the study and advocacy of the political party system of government.

Schattschneider earned an A.B. at the University of Wisconsin (1915), an M.A. at the University of Pittsburgh (1927), and a Ph.D. at Columbia University (1935). He taught at Columbia (1927–30); Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. (1929–30); and Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. (1930–60). In his work he argued for the importance of government shaped by political party competition. Conflict, he maintained, provided the energy for political life and was socialized through the workings of democracy. He also examined the distinctions between public and private interests, finding that vigorous party government contributed to public interest.

His major writings include Politics, Pressures and the Tariff (1953), Party Government (1942), The Semi-Sovereign People (1960), and Two Hundred Million Americans in Search of a Government (1969).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Citation Information
Article Title: Elmer Eric Schattschneider
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 28 February 2026
Access Date: November 13, 2026