What kind of party was a single issue party?

Answer 1

Single-issue parties are almost always small, partly because, by only pursuing one issue, they limit their appeal, and partly because the US electoral system favors two large, broad coalition parties. The Free Soil Party of the 1848 and 1852 Presidential elections is a classic example, while many countries have "Marijuana Parties" which advocate for the legalization of cannabis. Green Parties, which started in many countries as strictly environmental parties, have since developed platforms that address a whole range of issues; for example, Ralph Nader's Presidential run in 2000 on the Green ticket also had an emphasis on consumer safety, perhaps Nader's signature issue.