The US Two-Party System
Why the US has only two major parties, the barriers facing third parties, and the implications for voter choice and political representation.
Real World
In the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson combined received millions of votes but won zero Electoral College seats, illustrating how FPTP and the winner-takes-all Electoral College crush third-party viability.
Exam Focus
When asked to 'evaluate' third-party influence, always distinguish between winning elections and shaping policy agendas — two very different impacts.
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