Zinn's Two-Party System

Howard Zinn, a noted historian and social activist describes the American system as the “the most ingenious system of control in world history.” This system has perfected itself in manner that prevents the middle and working classes of the United States from joining together and actually challenging the system. Throughout his book, A People’s History of the United States, Zinn describes a plethora of government actions and major events that have contributed to this system. I believe that he would point to the advent of the two-party system as the event or series of events that did the most to lead us to our current situation.
The American political system has created the idea that there exists a distinction in political ideologies and thus …show more content…
This is because our entire understanding of how our nation actually operates, revolves around the idea that we have a voice in government, that the Democrats and Republicans are two distinct parties, with distinct interests. The American people have voted under that premise for more than a century and a half, without realizing that both parties have the same interest. Their interest is in the protection of the exceptional 1%, the American elite. The parties have passed legislation without teeth, stacked courts, boards, and administrations with individuals who oppose the very purpose of their position, all in their goal of building up the American elite. To protect their interests, both parties have advocated policies that demonize the poor, keeping them at the bottom of the ladder, while giving the middle-class just enough of a boost to keep them ahead of the poor. As a result, the middle class, seeing the poor a rung or two behind them, incorrectly believes that they are actually advancing. They fail to recognize that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of rungs between them and the 1% percent, Wall Street, and the American elite. As a result, they don’t unite with the poor and working class. They don’t challenge the