ABSTRACT
The “new” political parties appeal to voters around a different set of issues, issues that reflect differences in cultural more than economic ideologies. Students of comparative politics know that parties of the type are more prominent and more influential in Europe than they are in the United States. The American national system is a two-party system because only the Republicans and the Democrats are thought to have legitimate chances of victory in national elections. Nationally, however, the American system is generally classified as a competitive two-party system. American government is incredibly complex, with a wide array of issues and many candidates for various offices at the national, state, and local levels. Party labels enable voters to sort out the complexity of American politics by allowing them to vote for the candidates of their preferred party—the party that they believe is closer to their interests and beliefs. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
