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Advantages of the Two-Party Political System in US

Tariq Mahmood

XYZ University
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Advantages of the Two-Party Political System in US

A two-party political system is characterized by “the capacity of parties to

control the state (Ware 2009, p. 8).” In this system, one of the two parties forms the

government with majority and the rule alternates between them a over a period of

time. The electoral system and mechanism as well as the presidential system foster a

two-party political system. This system has dominated political culture of America

since 1796 ("Two Parties Emerge [ushistory.org]", 2017) and is so deeply entrenched

in the constitution of the state and permeates the political culture of the country that it

has survived serious challenges and tumultuous times. At present two major parties,

the republican and democrats, dominate. Some political thinkers, like for example,

Bennett, J. T. (2009), believe that two-party system should be abolished. This paper

challenges this position and argues that the two-party system corresponds to the

political needs of the country and there is no compelling reason to abolish the system

and make room for more parties.

The two-party system offers stability. There is no possibility of chaos and

political division. The party forming the government gains exclusive right to rule. It

does not remain dependent on minority parties which might force it to abandon its

policies through blackmail. The ruling party can formulate and implement policies

without distraction. It does not mean that multi-party systems always fail in all

political systems and cultures. Rather, in the USA in particular, the two-party system

has worked through even most turbulent times like the two world-wars and various

economic upheavals.
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The USA has a presidential system of government. The two-party system is

conducive to this constitutional form of government. The Americans take more

interest in the presidential election. According to the first-past-the-post voting system,

promulgated in US, only one candidate has the chance to win. The voters consider

only the candidates belonging to two major parties who have chance to win the

election. In order to introduce multi-party system, a change in the constitution is

required. In the current state of international affairs, while an open war against

terrorism at global level is going on, it would be dangerous not only the USA but also

for the rest of the world to embark upon such an endeavour. The American voter is

alive to this crucial issue as substantiated by a meltdown of a relatively growing

tendency among the population to support independents during the 1990s (Reichley

2007).

One possible case for the multi-party system is that it offers multiple choices

to the voters to elect the candidate more aligned to their political views. This

argument is countered by the fact that the two-party system in the USA allows the two

major parties to adjust policies and adapt the viewpoints embraced by any third

candidate, presently the independents. Even if a good proportion of the voters favours

a third party’s standpoint, either of the main parties can adopt that position and render

the need for the third choice redundant.

The long established two-party system in the USA has at times been subjected

to criticism on the grounds that it is monopolistic and limits the right of the voters to

have sufficient choice in exercise of their political will. Contending these arguments,

this paper seeks to prove that the two-party system has fared well throughout

American history and the time has not yet come when we should call for a multi-party
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system. This system is synchronized with the constitution of the country and offers

stability direly required by the current political landscape of the world.

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References

Ware, A. (2009). The dynamics of two-party politics: party structures and the

management of competition. Oxford University Press.

Bennett, J. T. (2009). Not invited to the party: How the demopublicans have rigged

the system and left independents out in the cold. Springer Science & Business

Media.

Reichley, A. J. (2007). The Future of the American Two-Party System in the Twenty-

First Century. The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary

American Politics, 15.

Two Parties Emerge [ushistory.org]. (2017). Ushistory.org. Retrieved 12 January

2017, from http://www.ushistory.org/us/19c.asp