Third Party System

Examples of Third Party System in the following topics:

• The Golden Age: 1860–1932

  • Railroads were the major industry, but the factory system, mining, and labor unions also gained in importance .
  • Gilded Age politics, called the Third Party System, were characterized by rampant corruption and intense competition between the two parties (with minor parties coming and going), especially on issues of Prohibitionist, labor unions and farmers.
  • The Third Party System lasted from about 1854 to the mid-1890s, and featured profound developments in issues of nationalism, modernization, and race.
  • The Fourth Party System lasted from about 1896 to 1932, and was dominated by the Republican Party, excepting the 1912 split in which Democrats held the White House for eight years.
  • The period featured a transformation from the issues of the Third Party System, instead focusing on domestic issues such as regulation of railroads and large corporations ("trusts"), the money issue (gold versus silver), the protective tariff, the role of labor unions, child labor, the need for a new banking system, corruption in party politics, primary elections, direct election of senators, racial segregation, efficiency in government, women's suffrage, and control of immigration.

• The Two-Party System

  • The modern political party system in the U.S. is a two-party system dominated by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
  • The Third Party System stretched from 1854 to the mid-1890s, and was characterized by the emergence of the anti-slavery Republican Party, which adopted many of the economic policies of the Whigs, such as national banks, railroads, high tariffs, homesteads and aid to land grant colleges.
  • The Fourth Party System, 1896 to 1932, retained the same primary parties as the Third Party System, but saw major shifts in the central issues of debate.
  • Second, voters learn, over time, not to vote for candidates outside of one of the two large parties since their votes for third party candidates are usually ineffectual.
  • There have been arguments that the winner-take-all mechanism discourages independent or third-party candidates from running for office or promulgating their views.

• The Role of Third Parties

  • American politics operate as a two-party system, and third party candidates do not play a major role in elections.
  • Although the American political structure has consistently been a two-party system, third parties occasionally influence elections, and third party candidates sometimes obtain elected positions.
  • "Third party" technically refers to the third largest party in a two-party system, but in the U.S. it generally refers to any party running in an election other than the major two.
  • This system is in contrast to proportional representation systems, in which parties are allocated representation based on the proportion of the popular vote they receive.
  • Both major parties are at risk of losing voters if third party campaigns gain traction, so they have both tended to act in ways that promote the two party system.

• Ideological Third Parties and Splinter Parties

  • America's democratic system is predominantly a two party system.
  • A third party is any party that supports a candidate for election other than the two major political parties; at the current moment, a third party would be any party other than the Democratic and Republican parties.
  • Since third party candidates do not have a legitimate chance of winning national election given the structure of the current system, most third parties do not tend to try to pursue moderate voters and instead stay close to their ideological roots.
  • The three main third parties are the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party .
  • An example of a small right-wing third party would be the America First Party.

• Party Organization

  • Throughout most of its history, American politics have been dominated by a two-party system.
  • Political scientists and historians have divided the development of America's two-party system into five eras.
  • The modern two-party system consists of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
  • Several third parties also operate in the United States and from time to time, elect someone to local office.
  • The modern political party system in the United States is a two-party system dominated by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

• Political Parties

  • The type of electoral system is a major factor in determining the type of political party system.
  • In single-party systems, one political party is legally allowed to hold effective power.
  • Congress are examples of two-party systems.
  • Multi-party systems are systems in which more than two parties are represented and elected to public office.
  • The smaller or "third" parties may hold the balance of power in a parliamentary system, and thus may be invited to form a part of a coalition government together with one of the larger parties; or may instead act independently from the dominant parties.

• The National Party Organization

  • The modern political party system in the United States is a two-party system dominated by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
  • Third parties have achieved relatively minor representation at national and state levels.
  • Many minor or third political parties appear from time to time.
  • At present, the Libertarian Party is the most successful third party.
  • Statehood Party has served as a strong third party behind the Democratic Party and Republican Party.

• Party Identification

  • People who identify with a political party either declare their allegiance by joining the party or show their support through regular party-line voting at the polls.
  • People can easily switch their party affiliation or distance themselves from parties entirely.
  • As voter identification with political parties has declined, so has dedication to the two-party system.
  • At the same time, support for third parties, like Libertarians, has increased over the last decade.
  • Still, the two-party system continues to dominate the political process as a viable multiparty alternative has not emerged .

• The Democratic Party

  • The Democratic Party is a major political party in the US which promotes a social liberal, social democratic and progressive platform.
  • The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States along with the Republican Party.
  • Joining with former members of existing or dwindling parties, the Republican Party emerged.
  • The mixed economy policy adopted by the modern Democratic Party has been referred to as the "Third Way".
  • Democrats believe government should play a role in alleviating poverty and social injustice and use a system of progressive taxation.

• The Impact of Minor Parties

  • Third-party candidates exert influence by focusing the election on particular issues and taking votes away from major candidates.
  • Third parties face many obstacles in American politics.
  • Numerically, third parties have won very few elected positions.
  • However, third parties do play an important role in national politics.
  • Third parties usually organize and mobilize around a single issue or position, putting pressure on candidates from major political parties to address these issues.