America's Two-Party System Analysis

The United States was built on the basis that individuals have freedoms that cannot be taken from them. Over the course of the country’s nearly 250-year history, those freedoms have helped shape a political system that encourages independent actions amid a lack of hierarchical constraints. That isn’t to say that there is no authority within the U.S. government, but rather it marks a uniquely undisciplined structure for the country’s two-party system. The current Democratic and Republican system is undisciplined because the parties do not consist of individuals – both politicians and citizens – who always line up directly with the larger organization. Intentional parameters in elections and representation were put in place to allow for this, …show more content…
With 3.8 million square miles of land, the United States is the third largest in total size worldwide and its diverse population is often fractured in terms of its opinion on specific issues. Parties are designed to bring people together and avoid collective action problems within a group of individuals, but that doesn’t mean that Democratic or Republican platforms are the same for states across the country from each other. For instance, the Wyoming Democrats specifically mention that they support the right to bear arms in their most recent party platforms, while the Massachusetts Democrats simply state that they work toward preventing gun violence. Although a nuanced difference, the two regional viewpoints are influenced by the background of the people in those locations. Whether it be based on income, ethnicity or culture, the disparate opinions within the United States help create political parties without standardized identities. Local politics perpetuate regional differences since citizens are allowed to elect leaders who reflect the type of representation they want. This was the design that Madison argued for in the Federalist Papers – no cohesive majority that can band together and create a ruling class. Ultimately, parties are vehicles for individuals to achieve personal and fundamental goals, writes John H. Aldrich in his book Why Parties? A Second Look …show more content…
party system. Modern technology has created a wealth of knowledge and helped bring about a citizenry that can make decisions based on detailed examination of a vast store of information online. While some argue that Americans aren’t engaged in politics these days, Arthur Lupia and Mathew D. McCubbins state their case in The Democratic Dilemma: Can Citizens Learn What They Need to Know?, countering that people are not as incapable of understanding democracy as they are often made out to be (Kollman 376). The great amounts of information available can often be too much, but the most important thing is gaining knowledge with the data that is absorbable (Kollman 378). With increased exposure to this material, U.S. citizens are able to form unique opinions based on specific issues or criteria that may change depending on the individual rather than the party. People always have the option to simply vote for candidates of only one party, but they just as easily can choose to do the opposite. Having the ability to personalize votes perpetuates the party system that strays from standard slate expectations. Rather than come together around a broad label like the party name, the public is able to research the positions of each possible candidate and make a unique decision that can be separate from the party affiliation. This modern ability to analyze individuals with heavy scrutiny has