Why two party system?
Historical Basis
the federalists and the anti-federalists formed the first two american parties
federalists led by Alexander Hamilton and the anti-federalists led by Thomas Jefferson
The Electoral System
Single member system: only one candidate is elected to each office on the ballot
Much of american election law is written to discourage non-major party candidates
The Force of Tradition
most Americans accept the system because that is the system has always been
most Americans don´t support a third party because they believe it is a waste of time and their vote
The American Ideological Consensus
Normally American people share many of the same ideals
pluralistic society- a society consisting of several distinct cultures and groups