Chapter Ten The Citizen in Government Electing Leaders ~~~~~ A Two-Party System
Political Parties two-party system offers choice provides stability Political Party = An organization of citizens who have similar views on issues and who work to put their ideas into effect through government action. nominate, or select, candidates to run for public office
role of parties encourage voters to elect candidates that the party favors take positions on public issues work to pass laws that they support offer a practical way for large numbers of people with similar ideas to get things done concerned with the actions that government should take tries to convince the voters that it offers the best program tries to make sure that the elected leaders do a good job will watch for and point out any mistakes of the other party Political Parties
Two-party System = A political system with two strong political parties. two major political parties for more than 140 years Democratic Party and Republican Party Democratic Party traces roots to Thomas Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party tends to be more liberal favors a greater role for the federal government in providing social programs Republican Party – 1854 formed by people opposed to slavery and its spread tends to be more conservative supports reducing the power of the federal government in operating social programs Two-Party System
Party Systems advantages of two-party systems parties have almost equal strength when one party fails to please a majority of voters, there is another strong party ready to take over the newly elected party often tries different programs and policies in dealing with the country's problems tend to be quite stable governments multiparty systems used by several European countries and India system with more than two strong political parties if all the parties are of about equal strength, no one party can win a majority of votes to run the government, two or more of the political parties must often agree to compromises and to work together coalition government can be difficult to form stable governments
Party Systems one-party system country has only one political party all other political parties are forbidden by law dictatorships or totalitarian governments all power is in the hands of one person or one group of people one-party government single party controls the government people must obey its dictates, or commands historic examples Italy under Benito Mussolini, Germany under Adolf Hitler modern examples communist countries: Cuba, North Korea, People's Republic of China noncommunist countries: Iraq - Hussein (Ba’ath Party), Libya - Gaddafi (parties forbidden), Syria - al-Assad (Ba’ath Party)
Third Parties many minor political parties in the United States have had great influence at certain times in the country's history third party presidential politics Progressive Party – 1912 organized by former President Theodore Roosevelt Reform Party – 1995 founded by billionaire businessman Ross Perot American Independent Party – 1968 segregationist former Alabama Governor George Wallace independent candidate – 1980 Representative John Anderson of Illinois impact of third parties 1.proposed new ideas later adopted by the major political parties late 1800s Populist Party - direct election of U.S. senators 2.spoilers for major candidates T. Roosevelt took many votes from Republican candidate William Taft which helped Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson win the presidency