Two-Party Systems
The Electoral System
The system itself tends to support the existence
of two major parties.
Plurality
Single-Member Districts
The American Ideological Consensus
American people share many of
the same ideals, basic principles, and
patterns of belief.
Pluralistic Society
The Historical Basis
The Framers of the Constitution were
opposed to a political party system.
Constitution ratified occurred, two sides
formed over the issue: the Federalists and
the Anti-Federalists.
This formed the first
two American parties: the Federalists led
by Alexander Hamilton and the Anti-
Federalists led by Thomas Jefferson.
The Force of tradition
Most Americans accept the two-party system because that’s the way it has always been.
Tradition ran deeply in human culture.