Two party system

1. Two-Party System
American Government

2. 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?

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. “Middle of the Road”
•Our two parties are moderate
•Democrats
–Social welfare, regulation, improve status of
minorities
•Republicans
–Private markets, less government involvement

7. 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.

8. 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

9. Party Membership Patterns