The two-party systems have been adopted in the United States for many years, and it has been realized that the political system in the United States cannot survive without the two-party systems. Some of the main advantages that have been realized in this case are the reduction in corruption, increase in the participation level from the political parties as well as from the citizens, higher voter turnout is seen as well as there is a general agreement between the different legislators on different state-related issues.
Before the declaration of the War of Independence in 1783, a confederation was required by the American colonies in order to start strategic alliances with the Europeans. This gave the Americans the Articles of Confederation in 1781, and this was known as America’s first constitution. However, these are the articles that were said to be inadequate later on, and the constitution was redesigned in 1789.
Thereby the political system in the United States began in 1789, and at that time, the United States political system was without any two-party system. The American government system started with George Washington. He has been known as a president who had no party. George Washington had served two terms. During his terms, there had been a rivalry between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Both of these main politicians belonged to the Federalists. Jefferson was the one who challenged Adams under the democratic Republican Party. It has been said that the Democratic Republic is the party that has been known to lay down the foundations of two-party systems being followed in the United States. In 1828, Andrew Jackson became the first president of the Democrats. The northern Abolitionist Movement is the one that gave rise to the Republicans in 1856. Abraham Lincoln had been the first president of this party. It has been seen that the Republicans had held the presidential power in the United States for 72 years.
The great depression had hit in 1929, and since that time, the Democrats won the majority of the voters as they had represented. They worked for the people of the poor class and the middle class. The republicans realized the fact that they had to redefine their goals, and they were to represent individual rights rather than the privileged class.
Since that time, it has been seen that the Americans call themselves the democrats as they are not very rich people. Comparatively, Republicans are the ones who have been winning the elections based on the personality of the presidential candidate rather than counting on the position he holds on certain state-related issues. The main point that has to be emphasized here, in this case, is that the two-party systems have increased the competition that arises between two main political parties for the resolution of the issues as these are the ones who strive for more success by designing new policies that can help the citizens of the country consequently winning the party more voters.
Providing the best to the public is the main aim of both parties in a political system. However, the difference occurs in the case of governance of powers being carried out by the two parties for promoting the good in the public. History shows that a warning had been given that the public good shall be weakened when the parties are at a rivalry against each other. George Washington, at his farewell address, had mentioned many disadvantages are associated with the two-party system that was yet to happen.
Thus, there had been opposition to the development of the two-party system in the US. Since the beginning of the United States, it has been seen that there are many issues that have been faced, and these include keeping together as a nation during the Civil War, War on Terror these days and the social issues in between. After the Civil War, the parties in the United States agreed on most of the issues except the slavery issues as it was decided which issues the particular party was on.
After the Civil War, silver was discovered in Virginia City. The concept in this case that the Democratic Party was using was that silver was to be used instead of gold, thus avoiding the basing of the value of the dollar on gold. This made the less privileged people acquire more dollars. Thus they would be able to spend more dollars, and the economy would improve. Free silver was the issue that was discussed by the economists on a greater level. The opinion that was being taken over by the Democrats was the one that was helping the poor as compared to the opinion that was adopted by the Republicans that said that gold should be the investment source.
Thereby there are many issues on which the debates have been carried out, and these are the issues that have been resolved in a better manner in the two-party system. Although there are many other parties in the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans are the ones who are the strongest. There are many differences between these parties on taxes, regulations, legislations, social issues, as well as international relations. Nevertheless, when it comes to the issue that involves national security and the betterment of the country, these are the parties who are in general agreement.
The two-party although had been opposed in the past but now it has been seen that there are many advantages notified in this case. The rival political parties agree when it comes to the issues related to national interests, especially the security-related issues on many issues.
Bibliography
Carnes, C. Mark, and Garraty, A. John. The American nation: a history of the United States, Volume 2: The American Nation: A History of the United States: My History Lab Series. Edition 13. Pearson Longman, 2007.