The party system describes how political parties work in the state. It defines the roles, relationships, relevance, sizes of the parties, and more. There are many variables to view. For example, how the parties behave and interact. Secondly, what are the influences of elections, the electoral system, and the political system itself. Thus, It has several levels and dimensions.
Besides, there are various approaches on how to arrange them. They are called typologies. Maurice Duverger organized the party system solely by the amount. Besides the count, Maurice Blondel also sees their strength. The most famous is the one by Giovanni Sartori. Sartori takes into account only the relevant ones. Thus, such parties with genuine influence.
First, he sees a party system with no political competition. Hence, a system where there is only one party. That is common for totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. In contrast, there are competing systems. Having a choice of who to vote for is a symbol of democracy.
Dominant party system
In a dominant party system, there is one major party. Of course, in such a system, democracy is somewhat flawed. Yet, it does allow at least some competition in contrast to a single-party system. Examples of such systems are in the developing world.
Two-party system
In this system, there are two major parties. Hence, a majority voting system is suitable. It is most common in the United States with the Republican and Democratic parties. To some extent, the United Kingdom is another example. It also provides stability for the state. Yet, a significant threat is the polarization of society.
Multi-party system
It allows the best conditions for competition. It is most common in Europe. After elections, parties create coalitions to create the government. A single party forms the government only on rare occasions. Thus, it forces parties to work together. On the other hand, the government is not so stable.
Non-partisan
That would be a system where parties do not exist. For example, George Washington was in favor of such a system.
Did You Know?
Rei Publicae is an independent, nonpartisan project. No political party, corporation, or other organization is backing us. If you want to learn more about the project check the about page. If you support our cause and wish to help us grow, you can buy us a coffee!
