The US Constitution does not define the role of the party system in the US. However, this does not prevent her from playing one of the leading roles in the political structure of this country.
Historical digression
On the Jewish New Year 1787 the US Constitution was adopted in Philadelphia. At that time there were no political parties in the country. Hamilton and Madison, who were the founders of this state, initially opposed the creation of such. The first American president, George Washington, was not a member of, and did not attempt to form, any political party system in the United States. But the need to enlist the support of the electorate led already 2.5 years after the adoption of the Constitution to the emergence of the first political parties, the beginning of which was given by the founding fathers of the republic.
Political parties and features of the US party system from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries
In its development, the party system has gone through 5 stages.
The first system included:
- The Federalist Party, which existed from 1792 to 1816, its representativeJ. Adams became the country's first party president.
- Democratic Republican Party. Surprisingly, there was such a united party, the split in which in 1828 served as the beginning of the second party system.
The latter was characterized by the presence of:
- National Republican Party.
- Democratic Party.
In 1832, representatives of the first entered into a coalition with the Anti-Masonic Party and some other political organizations, forming the Whig Party. Democrats dominated during this system. At the turn of the 40-50s. 19th century the issue of slavery in the new territories arose with renewed vigor, as a result, the Whig Party split into two factions: Cotton and Conscience. The Cotton Whigs later joined the Democrats, and the Northern Whigs joined the new Republican Party in 1854. The remaining out of work Whigs in 1856 moved to the American Party.
The third party system was formed in 1854 after the formation of the Republican Party. It began to express the interests of the North, as opposed to the Democratic, expressing the interests of the South. In 1860, the last party split into 2 factions, part of the Democrats formed the Constitutional Union Party. After the Civil War, the Republican Party dominated.
The Fourth Party System lasted from 1856 to 1932. The main parties were the same, the Republicans prevailed. There was an increase in the role of "third parties", although it remained small. From 1890 to 1920 noted the role of the progressive movement, whichallowed to reform local government, to carry out the necessary reforms in medicine, education and many other spheres of life. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Democrats were a conservative force, and the Republicans were progressives, and since 1910 the situation began to change.
The Fifth Party System was formed after the Great Depression in 1933. From the 1930s, the term "liberal" began to refer to supporters of the Roosevelt course, and "conservative" to his opponents. Roosevelt formed the New Deal Coalition, which collapsed in 1968 due to the Vietnam War.
Modern US party system
Currently, two parties dominate in this country: the Democratic and the Republican. Under their control are the US Congress, as well as the Legislative Assemblies of all the territorial units of the state in question. Representatives of these two parties hold the office of president in some order, and also become governors of states and mayors of their respective cities. Other parties do not have real levers of influence on politics, not only at the federal, but also at the local levels. Thus, the question of what kind of party system is in the US suggests an unequivocal answer: "Bipartisan".
Characteristics of the Democratic Party
Let's start our consideration of the US party system and political parties with the Democratic Party.
She is one of the oldest in the world. At the same time, it positions itself as adhering to more liberal points of view insocio-economic issues compared to the Republican Party. Thus, the Democrats are slightly left of center in the US party system.
The party's president, Johnson, proposed the idea of creating a "Great Society" in which poverty was to be eradicated. State medical insurance was created, programs of "model cities", "teachers' buildings", housing subsidies for the needy, the construction of modern highways, and measures were proposed to combat pollution of the atmosphere and hydrospheres. Social insurance payments have been increased, and vocational and medical rehabilitation has been improved.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the US party-political system has undergone a number of changes. This was due to the fact that the Democrats advocated racial separation, which aroused the sympathy of the white population of the southern part of the country. However, in the 40s, Truman began to implement a policy of desegregation in the area. Johnson outlawed it in the 1960s. The Republicans, led by R. Reagan, R. Nixon, B. Goldwater, began to pursue a "new southern strategy", which led to the formation of the "blue dog Democrats", who began to vote the way the Republicans vote.
Currently, due to the peculiarities of the party system in the US, this party includes 30-40% of the registered electorate, which is determined by the election results. Democrats enjoy support from residents of metropolitan areas, coastal states, people with higher education, who have an income level above the average. They are supported by trade unions of workers of largeorganizations, human rights organizations, feminists, sexual and racial minorities. They say that it is necessary to raise taxes for the rich, provide assistance to developing high-tech industries, increase social spending of the state budget, abandon economic protectionism, fight pollution, protect various minorities, oppose the fight against emigrants. At the same time, they are against the ban on abortion, the use of the death pen alty, the limited use and use of firearms, and the same state intervention in the economy.
Republican Party
The US party system consists of the Republican Party, in addition to the one discussed above. It was founded back in the middle of the 19th century by opponents of the advancement of the slave system into new spaces and in defense of the North, in contrast to the democrats, who mainly defended the interests of the South.
She has held a key position in the US party system and political parties since Lincoln became President of America. Until 1932, the Republicans gave the presidency only four times to representatives from the opposite political camp.
The monopoly on power has not brought the party to the good. Endless scandals related to nepotism and corruption began to occur, as well as struggles within it. Until these moments, the party was considered more liberal and progressive compared to the Democratic Party, but since the 20s of the 20th century it hasbegan to move to the right and become more conservative.
Today the ideas of this party are based on American, social conservatism as well as economic liberalism.
The basis of the members of this party are white men of small settlements, businessmen, managers and specialists with higher education, fundamentalists who are members of the Protestant group. They believe that taxes should be reduced, illegal migration should be banned, and legal migration should be significantly limited, and all illegal immigrants should be expelled from the country. They support family values and morality, oppose abortion, gay marriage. They want to limit the activity of trade unions, they support economic protectionism, the death pen alty, the carrying of firearms. They also believe that US military spending should be increased in order to strengthen the country's security. At the same time, the state should not interfere in the privacy of citizens and the economy.
Next, we will give a brief description of the US party system in relation to the "third" parties.
Constitution Party
It was formed in 1992 under the name "Party of American Taxpayers", but after 7 years it began to be called exactly as it is today - Constitutional.
Its adherents are characterized by right-wing views based on the ideology of "paleoconservatism", which mixes religious values with conservative political principles. In social issues close to the positionreligious conservatives of the Republican Party. In terms of politics and economics, they are closer to libertarians.
The number of its voters is insignificant compared to the first considered representatives of the US political system and is about 0.4% of the electorate. However, even such a modest result makes this party the third political force in this country.
In 2008, their candidate Charles Baldwin ran for president, but failed to win even the votes of his fellow party members.
Green Party
With this name, the party was created in the USA back in 1980. In 2000, its representative, R. Neider, won 2.7% of the vote in the presidential elections. After that, his supporters from various "green" movements merged to form the Green Party.
They took their name because of the basic ideas of protecting nature. The main views are center-left. They advocate social justice, equality of rights for different genders and sexual groups, adhere to the principles of pacifism in foreign policy, believe that citizens need firearms, but state control should be exercised over them. Authorities, in their opinion, should be decentralized, and the economy should receive social development.
About a quarter of a percent of the electorate is registered in its members. They hold elected positions in local governments, but mostly vote as non-partisans. This is the peculiarity of the US party system.
Libertarian Party
It is one of the oldest parties in the US since it was founded in 1971. Her ideas boil down to individual freedom, which implies the same market economy and international trade. Representatives of this party believe that the United States should not interfere in the affairs of other states. They believe that citizens should be independent, the power of the government should be limited. At the same time, members of this party oppose the ban on abortion and drugs, while making some reservations about same-sex marriages, and believe that migration should be minimally regulated. From their point of view, taxes and government spending should be cut.
Dissidents from the Republican Party often moved to this formation of the US political system.
The number of members of this party is approximately the same as that of the Green Party. It enjoys a sufficiently large support of voters, which allowed it to put its people into various elected local offices in excess of that in relation to the total of all small parties.
Other US parties
The party with the growth rate is considered to be the Natural Law Party, which was founded in 1992 by businessmen, lawyers and scientists who believe that the main problems of the country are due to the influence of lobbyists on power. Their ideology is the direction of bringing scientific ideas to the authorities. She proposes educational and medical reforms, the transformation of the electoralsystems in the country, against GMO products and for such reform of the legislature, in which the formation of coalitions will become impossible. This party enjoys the support of left-wing, intellectual citizens.
The reformist party was formed by supporters of R. Perrault, who, running for President as an independent candidate, won 12% of the vote in 1992. They oppose free trade, the 2-party system in the US, tax reform, renewal of democracy, government spending cuts, medical and educational reforms, encouraging Americans to participate in politics.
The Socialist Party is one of America's oldest political forces. It was founded in 1898 by trade union members who organized mass strikes and strikes. They believe that change should be radical, but gradual, evolutionary. People should be at the forefront, not profit. Party members generally adhere to pacifist views and support the implementation of education reform. At the same time, the rules of the game in relation to big businessmen should be tightened, the influence of trade unions and public organizations should be increased.
The role of parties in political life
They are not enshrined in the Constitution of the country. Nevertheless, the powers of parties and party systems in the United States are quite large. They participate in elections, offer voters various programs, acting as intermediaries between the authorities and citizens.
Howas a rule, there are several confederations of party organizations in the parties, which unite to achieve the goal of choosing their representatives to Congress or to the position of President or other elected positions. Due to the developed system of federalism in the United States, the strengthening of small parties is observed on the ground.
The delimitation of the interests of the two main parties was observed only during the Civil War. Within both parties, there are different points of view, which may be directly opposite to those declared by the party. In this regard, when forming a program, party members make compromises. The outcome of the election is largely determined by the attitude towards the candidate, rather than his program.
Members of parties in America are persons who voted for candidates from this party in the elections, they do not have party cards. Each such political entity has an apparatus that ensures its activity and stability of existence.
In closing
Thus, when answering the question of what type of party system is being implemented in the US, you can safely answer: "Bipartisan". Since the other parties in this country have no real influence on the political situation in the country.
