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The US Constitution does not contain any mention of political parties, which reflected the negative attitude toward the role of parties in the political process that was characteristic of many of the Founding Fathers. Currently, the two leading parties are the Republican Party, created in 1854, and the Democratic Party, dating back to 1828.

The United States has a special form of multiparty system - a two-party system, which is characterized by the exceptional stability of its two-party character. For 200 years now, rivalry has been unfolding between two national parties, while all the others, the so-called “third parties,” remain on the periphery of the struggle for power. During this time, a special way of interaction between leading parties has emerged, the key elements of which are consensus and alternativeness. Consensus lies in the unity of basic values, common approaches to choosing a political agenda and main paths for the country's development; alternativeness is manifested in different approaches to the way to achieve the stated goals.

The prototype of the two-party system was the tandem Federalists - Jeffersonian Republicans (late 18th century - mid-1810s). In the 1820s, the formation of the second model of the party system began, the backbone of which was made up of Democrats and Whigs. It existed until the mid-1850s. Systemic interaction between the Democratic and Republican parties began in the mid-1860s (after the Civil War) and continues to this day, although the nature of their relationship underwent significant adjustments along with the political and socio-economic agenda in the 1930s and 1980s.

The US party system differs in a number of ways from the party systems of other developed countries. The organizational structures of parties are a kind of confederation of full-time party organizations that unite to fight for power at various levels. The Democratic and Republican parties have a similar structure. They have neither a formal fixed membership, using instead a registration of party sympathies of voters, nor a program, the role of which is a platform adopted every four years in the run-up to presidential elections. The existing party charter fixes, first of all, technical regulations and procedures. Formally, the main body of the party is the national congress (National Convention), which meets every four years to nominate a presidential candidate and adopt an election platform. Coordination of the work of parties throughout the country falls on the National Committee.

One of the main functions of parties is to nominate candidates for senior government positions. Initially, from the end of the 18th century until the 1820s, this function was performed by a caucus of party factions in Congress. The most important issue was resolved by a narrow, elite group from the highest echelon of party functionaries. The rapid democratization of political life, a sharp expansion of the circle of voters, and the increasing role of full-time party organizations led to the fact that in the 1830s the caucus ceded the function of nominating candidates for senior positions to national party conventions (congresses).

At the end of the 19th century, the Populist Party put forward the idea of ​​holding primaries (primary elections in the states), where the degree of popularity of presidential candidates would be determined, and the convention would take their results into account in its work. It took a quarter of a century of intense struggle for this idea to gain recognition.

Parties are also in charge of allocating appointments to congressional committees. The formation of the government (administration) is also carried out on a party basis. Within each party there is an association of governors. In each chamber of the American Congress there are party associations (congressional factions) - the so-called caucus in the Democratic Party and the conference in the Republican Party. However, due to the decentralized nature of the parties, congressional factions are characterized by a low level of party discipline.

The oldest political party in the United States is the Democratic Party, which arose at the turn of the 1820s and 1830s. Its formation is associated with the name of Andrew Jackson, elected President of the United States in 1828. Democrats dominated American politics in the 1830s-1850s, 1910s, 1930s-1940s, 1960s, and 1990s. The Democratic Party won the presidential elections 21 times and gave the country 15 presidents. The Democratic Party relies on the support of various groups and sectors of society, among which it is necessary to highlight trade unions, ethnic minorities (both the African-American and Latino communities, as well as people from Asia), along with representatives of non-traditional sexual orientation. Democratic strongholds are the northeastern and Pacific states, as well as large cities. The symbol of the Democratic Party is a donkey.

The US Republican Party was formed in 1854, uniting supporters of the limitation of slavery, and 6 years later, Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election. Republican dominance in the country's political life spanned the 1860s-1900s, 1920s, 1950s, 1970s-1980s, and 2000s. The Republican Party has won presidential elections 23 times and given the United States 18 presidents. Just like the Democrats, the Republican Party focuses on various groups and sectors of society, among which it is necessary to highlight large corporations, the military, conservative religious groups (especially the so-called Christian fundamentalists). Today, the Republican stronghold is the southern states and the “mountain states” in the west. The symbol of the Republican Party is an elephant.

Third parties periodically have a certain influence on the measured functioning of the party tandem. With rare exceptions, they do not achieve noticeable success at the national level, although their role in the political life of the country cannot be underestimated. As a rule, they arise at turning points in American history, when new problems appear on the agenda that leading parties prefer to avoid (usually these were issues related to either new steps to democratize social and political life, or attempts to limit the omnipotence of big business ). The emergence of a mass third party was a signal telling the US political elite that it was necessary to adjust the program and target settings of at least one of the main parties. Thus, third parties perform a very important socio-political function: they play the role of a kind of safety valve, giving an outlet to protest sentiments within the existing political system, and also act as a kind of “incubator” of new ideas for the leading parties. Third parties can influence the outcome of national elections by stealing votes from a more ideologically related party and facilitating the victory of their opponents. Today, there are three third parties operating nationwide in the United States—one on the left (the Green Party) and two on the right (the Libertarian and Constitution parties).

The strength of the two-party system is explained by a number of circumstances. First of all, the US political elite has perfectly mastered various ways of integrating the protest electorate into the framework of a two-party system. Such an important feature of the American mentality as pragmatism, which dictates a very specific style of political behavior, also plays its role: there is no point in supporting a known outsider; it is better to join the potential winner in the hope that he will take into account in his policy some specific interests of the social group that supported him . Finally, third parties are also affected by the peculiarities of the legislation regulating the rules of election campaigns, which can put serious obstacles in the way of third parties and practically force voters to act in the system of the two main parties.

Conducting election campaigns is becoming more and more expensive every year, so candidates for top government positions initially found themselves somewhat dependent on large donors, which naturally affected their political credo. Back at the end of the 19th century, democratic circles of society tried to create barriers that would limit the ability of big business to directly influence the outcome of elections and, consequently, the entire policy of the state. In 1971, as part of party reform, the Federal Election Control Act was passed, which established new rules for reporting contributions and expenditures for election campaigns. Since 1971, this law has been tightened several times. The Federal Election Commission was created in 1974 to control election costs and, beginning in 1976, manage government funding for presidential campaigns. However, all these measures do not prevent big business from finding opportunities to maintain influence on the course of the election race.

In the congressional elections held on November 7, 2006 (the so-called midterm elections), the Democrats won. In the House of Representatives, they won 233 seats to the Republicans' 202. Elections to the Senate took place in 33 states (one senator in each state in which elections were held) - Democrats won in 24 states, Republicans - in 9; As a result of the elections, Democrats in the Senate controlled 51 seats to 49 for Republicans.

In the Senate elections held on November 4, 2008 (simultaneously with the presidential elections), the Democrats managed to win 17 seats out of 35 up for voting (the Senate includes two representatives from the state - a total of one hundred people; a third of the total composition is re-elected every two years; in At the same time, the election of senators to vacant seats takes place); Republicans won 14 seats. As a result, Democrats held 57 seats in the Senate, Republicans only 41 (two seats went to independent candidates who had previously supported Democrats).

Following the results of the 2010 Senate elections, against the backdrop of the declining popularity of President Obama, Republican representation increased: 51 seats for Democrats, 47 seats for Republicans, and 2 for independent candidates.

In the House of Representatives, where Democrats managed to gain leadership in 2006 and retain it in the 2008 elections (Democrats held 257 seats, Republicans - 178), the results of the 2010 midterm elections changed the situation in favor of Republicans: they received 242 seats versus 193. The increase in Republican popularity during the midterm elections indicates an increase in their popularity overall.

On November 4, 2008, the next presidential elections took place. The official candidates for the presidency were John McCain (Republican Party) and Barack Obama (Democratic Party).

Barack Obama won with 69 million votes (52.87%); John McCain received 59.93 million votes (45.62%). Barack Obama received 365 electoral votes, John McCain received 173 electoral votes.

Recently, the extra-parliamentary opposition, represented by the so-called “umbrella” parties or movements spreading through social networks, has become increasingly influential. The most famous among them are the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movement. The Tea Party, which emerged in 2009, unites conservatives who criticize the government's economic policies that led to the crisis, calling for fiscal responsibility, limited government and market freedom. In 2010-2012, they actively opposed the policies of President Obama, considering them socialist.

Since mid-September 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement has organized a long-term civil protest against the “criminal” actions of the financial elite, also demanding changes in the economy (though different from what the Tea Party representatives want) that will prevent the financial crisis from recurring again.

This country.

Historical excursion

On the Jewish New Year of 1787, the US Constitution was adopted in Philadelphia. At this time there were no political parties in the country. Hamilton and Madison, who were the founders of this state, initially opposed the creation of such. The first American president, George Washington, was not a member and did not try to form any US party-political system. But the need to gain the support of the electorate led, already 2.5 years after the adoption of the Constitution, to the emergence of the first political parties, which were started by the founding fathers of the republic.

Political parties and features of the US party system from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries.

In its development, the party system went through 5 stages.

The first system included:

• The Federalist Party, which existed from 1792 to 1816, its representative J. Adams became the first party president of the country.
• Democratic-Republican Party. Surprisingly, there was such a united party, the split in which in 1828 served as the beginning of the second party system.

The latter was characterized by the presence of:

• National Republican Party.
• Democratic Party.

In 1832, representatives of the former entered into a coalition with the Anti-Masonic Party and some others to form the Whig Party. Democrats dominated during this system. At the turn of the 40-50s. XIX century The issue of slavery in new territories arose with renewed vigor, as a result of which the Whig Party split into two factions: “Cotton” and “Conscience.” Cotton Whigs later joined the Democrats, and Northern Whigs joined the new Republican Party in 1854. The Whigs who remained out of work joined the American Party in 1856.

The third party system emerged in 1854 after the formation of the Republican Party. It began to express the interests of the North as opposed to the Democratic Party, which expressed the interests of the South. In 1860, the last party split into two factions; some of the Democrats formed the Constitutional Union Party. After the Civil War, the Republican Party dominated.

The Fourth Party System lasted from 1856 to 1932. The main parties were the same, the Republicans were predominant. There was an increase in the role of “third parties,” although it remained small. From 1890 to 1920 The role of the progressive movement was noted, which made it possible to reform local government and implement the necessary reforms in medicine, education and many other spheres of life. At the beginning of the 20th century, Democrats were the conservative force and Republicans were the progressives, but since 1910 the situation began to change.

The fifth party system was formed after the Great Depression in 1933. Since the 1930s, the term “liberal” began to designate supporters of Roosevelt’s course, and “conservative” - his opponents. Roosevelt formed the New Deal Coalition, which collapsed in 1968 due to the Vietnam War.

Modern US party system

Currently, two parties occupy a dominant position in this country: the Democratic and the Republican. Under their control are the US Congress, as well as the Legislative Assemblies of all territorial units of the state in question. Representatives of these two parties occupy the position of president with some rotation, and also become state governors and mayors of their respective cities. Other parties do not have real levers of influence on politics not only at the federal, but also at the local levels. Thus, the question of what kind of party system is in the United States assumes a clear answer: “Two-party.”

Characteristics of the Democratic Party

Let's start looking at the US party system and political parties with the Democratic Party.

It is one of the oldest in the world. At the same time, it positions itself as adhering to more liberal points of view on socio-economic issues compared to the Republican Party. Thus, Democrats are located slightly to the left of center in the US party system.

The president of this party, Johnson, proposed the idea of ​​​​creating a “Great Society” in which poverty was to be eradicated. State health insurance was created, programs for “model cities”, “teacher corps”, housing subsidies for those in need, construction of modern highways, and measures were proposed to combat atmospheric and hydrosphere pollution. Social insurance payments were increased and vocational and medical rehabilitation were improved.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the US party and political system has undergone a number of changes. This was due to the fact that the Democrats advocated racial separation, which aroused the sympathy of the white population of the southern part of the country. However, in the 40s, Truman began to implement a policy of desegregation in this territory. Johnson outlawed it in the 60s. The Republicans, led by R. Reagan, R. Nixon, and B. Goldwater, began to pursue the “new southern strategy,” which led to the formation of “blue dog Democrats,” who began to vote the way Republicans vote.

Currently, due to the peculiarities of the party system in the United States, a given party includes 30-40% of the registered electorate, which is determined by the election results. Democrats enjoy support from residents of megacities, coastal states, and people with higher education and above-average income. They are supported by labor unions of large organizations, human rights organizations, feminists, sexual and racial minorities. They declare that it is necessary to raise taxes on the rich, provide assistance to developing high-tech industries, increase social spending in the state budget, abandon economic protectionism, combat environmental pollution, protect various minorities, and oppose the fight against emigrants. At the same time, they are against the use of the death penalty, for the limited use and use of firearms, and the same state intervention in the economy.

Republican Party

The US party system consists of the Republican Party, in addition to the one discussed above. It was founded in the middle of the 19th century by opponents of the advancement of the slave system to new spaces and in defense of the North, in contrast to the Democrats, who mainly defended the interests of the South.

She has occupied a major position in the US party system and political parties since Lincoln became President of America. Until 1932, Republicans gave the presidency to representatives from the opposite political camp only four times.

The monopoly on power did not bring the party any good. Endless scandals related to nepotism and corruption began to occur, as well as internal struggles. Until these moments, the party was considered more liberal and progressive compared to the Democratic Party, but since the 20s of the 20th century it began to move to the right and become more conservative.

Today, the ideas of this party are based on American social conservatism, as well as economic liberalism.

The main members of this party are white men from small towns, businessmen, managers and specialists with higher education, fundamentalists who are part of the Protestant group. They believe that taxes should be reduced, illegal migration should be prohibited, and legal migration should be significantly limited, and all illegal immigrants should be expelled from the country. They support family values ​​and morality, and oppose abortion and same-sex marriage. They want to limit the activities of trade unions, support economic protectionism, the death penalty, and carrying firearms. They also believe that US military spending should be increased to strengthen the country's security. At the same time, the state should not interfere in the personal lives of citizens and the economy.

Constitution Party

It was formed in 1992 under the name “American Taxpayers Party”, but after 7 years it began to be called exactly what it still has today - Constitutional.

Its adherents are typically based on the ideology of “paleoconservatism,” which mixes religious values ​​with conservative political principles. On social issues they are close to the position of religious conservatives of the Republican Party. On a range of issues of politics and economics they are closer to libertarians.

The number of its voters is insignificant compared to the first representatives of the US political system considered and amounts to about 0.4% of the electorate. However, even such a modest result makes this party the third political force in this country.

In 2008, their candidate Charles Baldwin participated in the presidential elections, but could not even gain votes from fellow party members.

Green Party

With this name, the party was created in the USA back in 1980. In 2000, its representative R. Nader received 2.7% of the votes in the presidential elections. After this, his supporters from various green movements merged to form the Green Party.

They took their name because of the basic ideas of protecting nature. The main views are left-of-center. They advocate social justice, equal rights for different genders and sexual groups, adhere to the principles of pacifism in foreign policy, and believe that citizens need firearms, but they must be subject to government control. Government bodies, in their opinion, should be decentralized, and the economy should receive social development.

About a quarter of a percent of the electorate is registered as its members. They hold elected positions in local government, but mostly vote as nonpartisans. This is a feature of the US party system.

Libertarian Party

It is one of the oldest parties in the United States, having been founded in 1971. Her ideas boil down to individual freedom, which implies the same market economy and international trade. Representatives of this party believe that the United States should not interfere in the affairs of other states. They believe that citizens should be independent and the government's power should have limits. At the same time, members of this party oppose the ban on abortion and drugs, while making some reservations regarding same-sex marriage, and believe that migration should be minimally regulated. From their point of view, taxes and government costs should be reduced.

Dissidents often migrated to this formation of the US political system.

The number of members of this party is approximately the same as that of the Green Party. She enjoys quite a lot of voter support, which allowed her to get her people into various elected local positions in numbers that exceed the total from all small parties.

Other US parties

The party with the fastest growing rate is the Natural Law Party, which was founded in 1992 by businessmen, lawyers and academics who believe that the country's main problems are caused by the influence of lobbyists on government. Their ideology is aimed at bringing scientific ideas to the authorities. She proposes carrying out educational and medical reforms, transforming the electoral system in the country, against GMO products and for such a reform of legislative bodies that would make the formation of coalitions impossible. enjoys the support of left-wing, intellectually minded citizens.

The reformist party was formed by supporters of R. Perrault, who, running for the post of President as an independent candidate, received 12% of the votes in 1992. They oppose free trade, the 2-party system in the United States, for the renewal of democracy, reducing government costs, medical and educational reforms, and encouraging Americans to participate in politics.

The Socialist Party is one of the oldest political forces in America. It was created in 1898 by trade union members who organized mass strikes and strikes. They believe that changes should be radical, but gradual, evolutionary. People should be at the forefront, not profit. Party members mostly adhere to pacifist views and support educational reform. At the same time, the rules of the game in relation to large businessmen must be tightened, the influence of trade unions and public organizations must be increased.

The role of parties in political life

They are not enshrined in the country's Constitution. Nevertheless, the powers of parties and party systems in the United States are quite large. They participate in elections, offer various programs to voters, acting as intermediaries between the authorities and citizens.

As a rule, parties have several confederations of party organizations that unite to achieve the goal of electing their representatives to Congress or to the post of President or other elective positions. Due to the developed system of federalism in the United States, the strengthening of small parties is observed locally.

The demarcation of interests of the two main parties was observed only during the Civil War. Within both parties there are different points of view, which may be directly opposite to those declared by the party. In this regard, when forming a program, party members make compromises. The outcome of the election is largely determined by the attitude towards the candidate rather than his program.

Members of parties in America are persons who voted in elections for candidates from a given party; they do not have party cards. Each such political entity has an apparatus that ensures its activity and stability of existence.

Finally

Thus, when answering the question of what type of party system is implemented in the United States, we can safely answer: “Two-party.” Since the other parties located in this country have no real influence on the political situation in the country.

In the United States, two parties dominate at the national, regional, and local levels of government:

Democrats

Republicans

These parties belong to decentralized organizations, since there is no large party apparatus and there is no direct connection of their members to work in a specific party organization. their goal and raison d'être was the struggle to gain power in Congress

In the United States there are no special laws on parties, although some external aspects of the activities of political organizations participating in elections are regulated. Therefore, they do not have clear party programs. Their role is partially fulfilled by election manifestos and slogans

Although parties enjoy the trust of voters and broad public support, some differences can be drawn between them.

1. In relation to the limits of government intervention in the regulation of socio-economic processes. Traditionally, Democrats advocate a more active role for the state in this area than their competitors.

2. They also differ in the representation of socio-economic interests. In the eyes of the public, the Republicans are the party of “big business,” although the Democratic Party also enjoys the support of wealthy people, including large businessmen. Democrats have long-standing and extensive ties with trade unions, environmental organizations, and the Catholic Church.

In accordance with the US Constitution, all powers of the legislative branch belong to the body of popular representation - the US Congress, consisting of two chambers:

1. House of Representatives.

It is believed that the House of Representatives represents the interests of the entire American people, and the upper house of Congress - the Senate - represents the interests of the states.

Both chambers are elected by universal, direct, equal elections by secret ballot. The term of office of senators is six years, that of members of the House of Representatives is two years. The Congress operates in session - one session annually with breaks for holidays.

House of Representatives consists of 435 deputies elected on the basis of a majoritarian system of relative majority without a quorum requirement. The main electoral qualifications include age (candidates who have reached 25 years of age), citizenship qualification (at least seven years of American citizenship), residence qualification (residence in state in which the constituency is located).

The House is headed by the Speaker, elected by the House itself (with a party majority). He conducts meetings, sends bills to committees, has voting rights, etc.

Member of the Senate consists of 100 members, elected regardless of population, two from each state on the basis of the same electoral system. Every two years, 1/3 of the senators are elected. Any US citizen residing within the relevant state can be elected as a senator, provided he has been a citizen for at least nine years and has reached the age of 30. The Senate includes the Vice President of the United States, who is its chairman, who has the right to sign bills adopted by the House. However, he does not have the right to vote in an ordinary situation.

Members of each party in the chambers form a faction, which elects leaders who practically run their chambers, while the party minority organizes the opposition.

Competence is divided into general, exercised by both chambers to adopt laws and resolutions in accordance with the areas of competence established by the Basic Law, and special, belonging to each chamber separately.

His general powers include: adoption of laws and resolutions in the financial and budgetary sphere (the right to introduce and collect taxes, duties, excise taxes, coinage, loans, bankruptcy regulation, adoption of the federal budget); in the sphere of defense and external relations - the exclusive right to declare war, decide on the formation of armed forces, and announce the call for militia to repel an invasion of the country; in the sphere of organizing domestic policy - the establishment of federal courts, regulation of the procedure for acquiring citizenship, patent and copyright law, regulation of trade with foreign states, the establishment of uniform weights and measures, etc.

Special powers include the power of each house to organize impeachment proceedings, electing a president and vice-president if the electors fail to choose them.