Two Parties-Or More?

by Bibby, John F.; Maisel, L. Sandy

• ISBN13: 9780813399935
• ISBN10: 0813399939
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-04-09
• Publisher: Westview Pr

Summary

Although the Democrats and Republicans have dominated American politics for nearly 150 years, many Americans today have doubts about the two-party system. In 1992, nearly 30 percent of those polled felt that "the two-party system is seriously broken and the country needs a third party." In fact, in three of the five most recent presidential elections, candidates from outside the two parties have attracted serious media and voter attention.Students of American government are thus faced with an enduring dilemma: Why two parties? Why has this system remained largely intact while around the world democracies support multiparty systems? Should our two-party system continue as we enter the new millennium?Two PartiesOr More?answers these questions by first placing the dilemma in the context of recent electionsat both the state and federal leveland by defining the types of minor parties and of the roles they play. The authors then provide a historical overview of minor partiesincluding such transient groups as the Know Nothings and the Greenbacksand the roles they played in moving major parties on issue spectrums.As the discussion turns to the context in which all political parties must function, topics include the role of the party in an election, the impact of a direct primary system, the role of legislatures and courts, and questions regarding ballot access and campaign financing. By focusing on Perot's Reform party's efforts in 1992 and 1996, the text lays out the current dilemma regarding third parties and explores the extent and cause of the current dissatisfaction with the two major parties.Two PartiesOr More?concludes with predictions about the future of third-party politics in the states and the nation.The text is enhanced with a glossary, discussion questions, and an appendix of important third parties in presidential elections and recent officeholders who were neither Democrat nor Republican.In courses on American government or parties and elections,Two PartiesOr More?will entice students to debate one of the most pressing (and enduring) issues with respect to the American electoral system.

Author Biography

John F. Bibby is professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee L. Sandy Maisel is William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Government and chair of the Department of Government at Colby College

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures	p. xi
Preface and Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Third Parties in American Politics	p. 1
Varieties and Definitions of Third Parties	p. 6
Subpresidential Politics	p. 14
The Dilemma of the Two-Party System	p. 16
Minor Parties in a Two-Party System: Historical Perspectives	p. 19
The Emergence of a Party System	p. 22
The Pre-Civil War Era: Two-Party Competition, Minor Party Eruptions	p. 24
The Post-Civil War Era: Republican Ascendancy, Sectionalism, Transient Third Parties	p. 29
The 1896 Election: Electoral Realignment, Republican Resurgence	p. 31
Progressivism and the Emergence of the New Deal Democratic Coalition	p. 33
The Ascendancy of the New Deal Democratic Coalition	p. 34
The Post-New Deal System: Divided Government, Candidate-Centered Politics, Continuing Third-Party and Independent Candidacies	p. 37
Minor Parties in State Politics	p. 42
Lessons from Party History	p. 48
Third Parties in the American Context: A Less Than Friendly Environment	p. 51
Why Two Major Parties and Not a Multiparty System?	p. 54
Institutional Barriers to Multiparty Politics	p. 56
Assessing Public Support for the Republicans and Democrats	p. 64
Fear of "Wasting" One's Vote: Strategic Voting in Recent Presidential Elections	p. 65
Multiparty Systems at the State Level: The Overwhelming Tides of National Politics	p. 66
An Environment Hostile to Third Parties	p. 68
The Public Demand for Alternatives	p. 69
Discontent at the Ballot Box with Two-Party Alternatives	p. 71
Public Opinion on the Performance of Our Two-Party Political System	p. 75
Politicians' Responses to Public Discontent	p. 78
Causes of the Dissatisfaction	p. 84
Consequences of "Alternative" Governments	p. 88
Political Parties in the Twenty-First Century	p. 93
The Future of Two-Party Politics in America	p. 95
A Defense of Two-Party Politics in America	p. 99
Reforming the Two-Party System	p. 108
Discussion Questions	p. 113
Glossary	p. 115
Appendix	p. 119
Notes	p. 125
References	p. 129
Index	p. 133
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