ABSTRACT
The quest for responsible government, which permeates the literature of early American political criticism, has become the quest for responsible party government. American political history and political polemics have contributed more toward exposing the various facets of the problem of party than they have toward dealing effectively with the problem. Political scientists have been the preponderant source of critiques of the political system, and they have a tendency to measure its adequacy against a somewhat idealized notion of the parliamentary system of democracy. The difficulty of founding new national parties has forced critics of the party system to concentrate on efforts to reform the existing parties. The national chairman of the in-party should continue to be chosen by the president or by the presidential candidate. Each national committee should maintain, in addition to the publicity, political organization, and special group services now offered, increased research and field staffs.
