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Why did political parties develop so quickly in the American political system?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Frankly, because it is human nature for us to band together into like-minded groups. We seem to seek out similar individuals (however one wishes to define "similar") to bond and group with. Politics is no different than any other area in this respect.
In retrospect, any period of ANY government form without some type of political parties should be considered an anomaly. Even in governments with only one political party (or systems which claim not to have any parties), a closer inspection will reveal groups which operate in a manner similar (or even indistinguishable) from a formal political party.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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What feature of the internet allows political activist to quickly locate and mobilize supporters?
interactivity
What is the unintentional consequence of 3rd parties?
In elections with two dominant parties, a 3rd party candidate can siphon off votes that might otherwise have gone to someone else. Two recent examples would be Ralph Nader in 2000 and Ross Perot in 1992.
What impact do third parties and their candidates have on U.S. politics?
Political scientists often use the term "minor party" to describe parties other than the dominant two, since there are dozens of small parties at any given time. Third parties in the USA have, at best, been 'spoilers' Their influence is at most to shed light on a specialized problem or issue. This in turn can and has made the two primary political parties more responsive. Few examples exist of third parties becoming a major party with any clout or permanance. Most third parties have been focused on a single issue, and can sometimes put that issue in the national spotlight. The Know-Nothing/American Party was anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic, the Free-Soil Party was abolitionist, and the Dixiecrat Party was pro-segregation.The only third party which gained prominence at the national level was the Republican Party in the 1850s; The Whig Party was falling apart at the time, while the Democratic Party was weakened by sectionalism (the Democrats ran two Presdential candidates in 1860, a Northern and a Southern one). The weakness of the major parties allowed the Republican Party to sweep into power in 1860, at which point the Whigs all but disappeared, and the Republicans became a major party. Most other minor parties have not had success at the national level; the Know-Nothings of the 1850s were highly successful in state elections in New York and New England, but could not break through to the national level, and disappeared almost as quickly as they came, when the Republican Party rook over many of their positions (and voters).There are a few factors limiting the influence of minor parties in the US:The federal election system: Because of the US election system, which awards office to the first place winner in most elections (even if they don't have a majority(, minor parties stand little chance of winning. In contrast, many Parliamentary democracies have proportional voting systems, where a party passing a certain threshold (often 5% of the vote) will receive a percentage of seats equal to their percentage of the vote. Additionally, many parliamentary systems use some form of runoff voting, where if one candidate or party does not get a majority, a second round of voting begins between the top two or three finishers. In runoff elections, a minor party candidate can perform better, as some voters' first choice may have been eliminated, and voters switch to their second choice. The single-round voting in the US means that elections are almost always between a Democrat and a Republican.The "Big Tent" parties: Both the Democratic and Republican Parties are broad coalitions, at least compared to parties in some other countries. The parties have a wide appeal, and even house factions which are opposed to each other; the Democratic Party holds both environmentalists and mining or logging unions, while the Republican Party has both libertarians and social conservatives. These broad coalitions mean that national parties are often more like groups of more specialized parties, and the primaries can be seen as the equivalent to a first round of a runoff election.Narrow focus of minor parties: As mentioned above, minor parties tend to be focused on a single issue, while the major parties have a platform that deals with a wide range of issues. On a similar note, minor parties tend to be more ideologically extreme (farther to the left or the right) than the major parties, which are successful when they can appeal to moderate and swing voters.Strategic voting: All of these factors add up to an environment where it is very hard for a minor party to win. Public opinion polling tends to show minor parties doing better than their eventually share of the vote on Election Day. This is probably because some voters like the ideas of a minor party candidate, but they do not want to feel like they have wasted their vote, so they end up pulling the lever for a major-party candidate. This becomes something of a self-fulfilling prophecy in some cases.The "spoiler" effect: minor parties can attract the anger of members of the major party if they are perceived as costing the party an election. Democrats often blame Al Gore's loss in Florida in 2000 on the Green Party, which drew liberal votes away from the Democratic ticket, while Republicans blamed the Dixiecrat Party for Harry Truman's surprise win in 1948.
What effects did the great awakening have on the american colonies?
The Great Awakening notably altered the religious climate in the American colonies. Ordinary people were encouraged to make a personal connection with God, instead of relying on a minister. Newer denominations, such as Methodists and Baptists, grew quickly.
What effect did the great awakening have on the American colonies?
The Great Awakening notably altered the religious climate in the American colonies. Ordinary people were encouraged to make a personal connection with God, instead of relying on a minister. Newer denominations, such as Methodists and Baptists, grew quickly.
Why did the framers of the constitution not like political parties?
With political parties, people often vote for the party, not the politician. With political parties, you also have more "group think", which can result in laws being passed just because a political party is pushing it, and not so much because it is a good idea. When a political party gets the super majority, they pass laws as quickly as possibly in an effort to initiate their political ideals. This means that laws end up being passed without any real scrutiny. It causes an instability in the government, results in inefficient laws, laws that don't represent the people, and government waste.
What might you develop if you eat too quickly?
If you eat too quickly, you might develop indigestion. You will develop gas because of the air you swallow while you eat.
How do political parties slow the government down?
Political parties in democratic nations are said to be slowing down their governments, in some cases based purely on "party politics". In most cases however, the democratic process is better served when government actions are examined by various republic or parliamentary committees and the process of having executive branch appointees be approved by a US Senate as example or by some other approval system in other governments. Political parties are essential in governments in order that executive polices are not "rammed" through and carried out without proper review. This is what political parties do in that regard. One of the first goals of a potential dictator is to eliminate all parties except one, the party of the "dictator". In Imperial Japan and in Nazi Germany, for example, "things" moved rather quickly in government as no opposition parties existed. In summation, political parties slow down governments by reviewing, and debating government actions or plans for actions. In the view of many historians and political scientists, the "slowing down" is a virtue.
Why did the slavery develop in the Americas?
In reality, the first slaves in the Americas were Native American. The problem was they either died very quickly or escaped. Then they came up with the bright idea of trading the Native American slaves for African slaves.
What is the answer to deep soils develop quickly where rock weathers slowly either slowly or quickly or rapidly?
Rapidly
Was the French Revolution more economic or political?
It was caused by economics but quickly became a political event.
Was the French Revolution more economic or political in nature?
It began for economic reasons and quickly became a political event.
How do you dry your american girl doll's hair quickly?
To dry the American Girl doll's hair quickly, simply put it on the sun to dry.
What feature of the internet allows political activists to quickly locate and mobilize?
interactivity
Why did western Europe recover so quickly after the cold war and world war 2 and how did colonial peoples win political independence and American blacks triumph in the civil rights movement?
nom nom nom
What is a severe systemic reaction to an allergen causing serious symptoms that develop very quickly?
Anaphylaxis
What feature of the internet allows political activist to quickly locate and mobilize supporters?
interactivity
