Two-Party System

American Government

Why a Two-Party System?

Historical Basis Ratification of the Constitution

Tradition It has always been this way!

Critical of the Two-Party System Political Shading

What do you think?! Does the two-party system hurt or help American policy?

Electoral System

Single-member districts-contests in which only one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot.

Winner-take-all Plurality-largest number of votes cast (majority-

but not always!!!) “wasted vote”

The system discourages non-major party candidates

Bipartisan-the two parties find ways to agree

Bipartisan Politics

Election laws are deliberately written to preserve, protect, and defend the two major parties.

Third party candidates do not even make it to each state ballot!

Few exceptions! Eugene Debs, Ross Perot

Ideological Consensus

Pluralistic society-a society of several distinct cultures and groups.

Consensus-a general agreement among various groups

– U.S. History has many examples where the nation has been divided however:• Civil War

• Vietnam War

• Civil Rights

“Middle of the Road”

• Our two parties are moderate

• Democrats

– Social welfare, regulation, improve status of minorities

• Republicans

– Private markets, less government involvement

Multiparty Systems

• A system in which several major and many lesser parties exist, seriously compete for, and actually win, public offices.

• Parties are based on a particular interest

• Can sometimes lead to the instability of government

• Coalition-a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority.

One-Party Systems

• A “no-party” system-A Dictatorship!

• Some states have been accused of having a “one-party” system

– Democrats in the South in the 1960's

– Republicans in the Northeast

Party Membership Patterns

• Do we have Party Membership Patterns in the U.S.?

– Religions?

– Socio-Economic Status?

– Culture?

• Significant minor parties-p.124