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The two-party system isn't so heavily institutionalized "by law". The law generally gives advantages to parties that pull in more than x% of the vote, and it s
by cryptonector 3y ago
The two-party system isn't so heavily institutionalized "by law". The law generally gives advantages to parties that pull in more than x% of the vote, and it so happens that the first-past-the-post system of electing representatives makes it very difficult for a third party to take root.
- dartos 3y agoThe first past the post system is encoding a two party system into law. If it makes to hard enough for a third party to take hold, there might as well not be one. Not everything is spelled in ink.
- bigstrat2003 3y agoThat's not "encoded into the law". The outcomes of the law are not the same as the law itself.
- dartos 3y agoPractically speaking, they are. The effect of a law is at least as important as the literal words on the page.
- int_19h 3y agoExcept our law is nothing like that. You can have a party take 45% of each district across the whole country and end up with zero seats in the House (because the other party took 55% of each).