Are strong political parties good?
<p>Over time, the American political system has become steadily more democratic — controlled by the people at large, rather than by party bosses negotiating with each other in smoke-filled rooms. This trend can be seen in the <a href="https://mcintee.substack.com/p/why-do-americans-hate-parliamentary" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">evolution of the presidential primary system</a>; it can also be seen in the way that Americans have rejected <a href="https://mcintee.substack.com/p/why-do-americans-hate-parliamentary" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">indirect elections for governors and senators</a>.</p>
<p>Some political scientists will say that <em>stronger political parties are better</em>. They say that America’s problems with excessive partisanship are due, counterintuitively, to weak political parties. (C.f. <a href="https://news.yale.edu/2020/11/17/polarization-us-politics-starts-weak-political-parties" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">this article</a>.) This is in sharp contrast to non-academics interested in political reform, who frequently blame the parties themselves for excessive partisanship.</p>
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