two-party system
Democrat-Republican electoral structure
A two-party system is a political structure in which two major parties dominate elections and governance, with minor parties rarely winning significant power.
The United States exemplifies this arrangement, where Democrats and Republicans have alternated control for over 150 years.
Critics argue such systems limit voter choice; defenders say they promote stability.
Most votes wins
- pluralityLargest share among several
- winner-take-allOnly champion receives reward
- duopolyTwo-seller market structure
- electoral collegeIntermediary voting delegation system
primary · general election · swing states · battleground · wasted votes · safe seats · ticket splitting · straight ticket
Involving several groups
- proportional representationSeats allocated by vote share
- ranked choiceVoting by ordered preference
- LibertarianThird U.S. political party member
- independentFree from external control
reform · spoiler effect · coalition government · parliamentary · Ross Perot · Ralph Nader
Agreement through mutual sacrifice
- consensusGeneral group agreement
- cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
- centrismMiddle-ground political stance
moderates · unity · conciliation · give-and-take · reaching across · purple · swing voters · independents
Splitting into parts
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- extremismIdeology beyond accepted norms
- factionalismDivision into opposing cliques
- entrenchmentFortified or fixed position
deadlock · discord · adversarial · zero-sum · tribalism · culture war · echo chamber · base
Open to reform
- progressiveFavoring reform and innovation
- left-wingPolitically liberal or radical
- DNCLiberal party organization
- blue statesReliably liberal electoral regions
New Deal · Obamacare · Clinton · Obama · Biden · Pelosi · Sanders · AOC
Cautious about altering customs
- GOPRepublican Party acronym
- RNCGOP's governing body
- right-wingPolitically conservative faction
- ReaganomicsSupply-side fiscal philosophy
Trumpism · red states · elephant · Reagan · Trump · McConnell · pro-life · deregulation
first-past-the-post
Most votes wins
- pluralityLargest share among several
- winner-take-allOnly champion receives reward
- duopolyTwo-seller market structure
electoral college · primary · general election · swing states · battleground · wasted votes · safe seats · ticket splitting · straight ticket · closed primary
multiparty
Involving several groups
- proportional representationSeats allocated by vote share
- ranked choiceVoting by ordered preference
- LibertarianThird U.S. political party member
independent · reform · spoiler effect · coalition government · parliamentary · Ross Perot · Ralph Nader
compromise
Agreement through mutual sacrifice
- consensusGeneral group agreement
- cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
centrism · moderates · unity · conciliation · give-and-take · reaching across · purple · swing voters · independents · dealmaking
division
Splitting into parts
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- extremismIdeology beyond accepted norms
- factionalismDivision into opposing cliques
entrenchment · deadlock · discord · adversarial · zero-sum · tribalism · culture war · echo chamber · base · wedge issues
liberal
Open to reform
- progressiveFavoring reform and innovation
- left-wingPolitically liberal or radical
- DNCLiberal party organization
blue states · New Deal · Obamacare · Clinton · Obama · Biden · Pelosi · Sanders · AOC · caucus
conservative
Cautious about altering customs
- GOPRepublican Party acronym
- RNCGOP's governing body
- right-wingPolitically conservative faction
Reaganomics · Trumpism · red states · elephant · Reagan · Trump · McConnell · pro-life · deregulation · Second Amendment
- US HistoryAmerican Revolution, US history, Civil War, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln
- US Politicsconservatism, ballot, liberalism, bill, constitutionalism
- party politicsnonpartisan, machine politics, Democrat, Republican, coalition government
- AmericanaAmerican flag, Fourth of July, bald eagle, Thanksgiving, apple pie
- electionsballot, ballots, voter registration, candidates, polls
- governmentsdemocracy, monarchy, autocracy, oligarchy, republic
two-party systemone-party state
Sole legal ruling faction
one-party rule · authoritarian rule · totalitarian regime · dictatorship · absolute monarchy
party, system, twos, twelve, twenty, parties, parted, parting, partisan