The Importance of a 2-Party System

Photo Credit: Brian Smilek

This story was originally published in the GenZeal feature of LNP on Sunday, May 5, 2024

By Andrew McCune ‘24

According to the Political Analyst Sukhayl Niyazov, “America was… not an attempt to create the best form of government, but rather the best possible.” Despite its flaws, the United States is better as a two-party system. Some people might say there are too many issues with this system, but the other options would lead to far worse results.

The addition of more than two parties could make the system less effective. For example, according to Sukhayl Niyazo, “Increasing the number of parties makes it difficult to remove bad leaders.. Bad leaders are extremists, who believe that their views are more important than others. The editors at Encyclopedia Britannica hold the view that in national politics, third parties are often more involved in protest activities than in being genuine contenders in elections. They suggest that the inclusion of more parties tends to lead to increased divisions among them.

Furthermore, having two political parties helps stabilize the government. The editors of Britannica express “that in such a system it is possible for a single party to win a majority.” This aspect simplifies the process of determining the official winner of a presidential election. Niyazov says,“The system is based on a winner take all principle.” Meaning that all of the Electoral College votes from a state goes to a presidential candidate to result in a majority.

In addition, the political system gives power to the citizens. Karl Popper was an Austrian-British Philosopher, who specialized in science during the 20th century. He said, “If voters are dissatisfied, they can vote the party out in the next election.” The people aren’t forced to vote for the same leader over and over. The choice between two options makes it easier for people to pick their ideal candidate. Popper claims that, “the real source of legitimate power [is] the people themselves.” The people can criticize and question government policies efficiently because they do not need to reach out to many parties. 

There will always be errors with any form of government no matter the size; however, it is harder to completely change how the system works. The citizens of the United States should not abolish a system that already works. A system that gives them the right to express their views in an easy fashion. Vote tallying is more efficient with two party choices to present the winner, so the government can be productive. The substantial evidence shows us that the two-party system is superior to other alternatives.

Sources

https://www.britannica.com/topic/two-party-system

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