When thinking about politics in the United States, your mind might immediately turn to the two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Would it surprise you to know that there are more than two parties in other countries?

Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, allow for many political parties to form, but in practice have only two or three. Other countries, such as Denmark, Germany, and Mexico, tend to have three or more parties represented in government at all times. With so many parties, gaining a majority in the legislature becomes difficult and agreements between two or more parties to temporarily work together in a coalition are common.

In the United States, however, having only two major political parties has become the norm. These two parties have developed an antagonistic relationship in which the members of one party refuse to work or agree with members of the other party. The idea of being so committed to the politics of your party is called partisanship.

Let’s explore the relationship of the political parties to each other, how partisanship affects the political process in the United States, and whether partisan politics are beneficial or detrimental to US society.

Part A
Based on your own knowledge, why are partisanship and a two-party system significant parts of US politics?