The Tyranny of the Two-Party System (Paperback)

by Professor Lisa J. Disch (Author) "At a sparsely attended press conference in St. Paul, Minnesota on July 18, 1994, a third party and an incumbent state legislator made a historic..." (more)
Key Phrases: electoral fusion, party ticket voting, fusion candidacies, United States, New York, Supreme Court (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Unable to predict either the rise of smack-down artist Jesse Ventura to the Minnesota governorship or the outcome of the 2000 presidential election, some political scientists are retreating to scholasticism. Red flags need to be raised since it is nearly always predictable that when the electoral world disappoints, political scientists will turn to utopian critiques of America's constitutional system or its two-party system-bedrocks of democracy. Despite the catchy title, this book fits into this mode. Disch (political science, Univ. of Minnesota) is the author of Hannah Arendt and the Limits of Philosophy. Her new book grows out of dissatisfaction with modern electoral politics. Disch participated in the disappointing efforts of the Twin Cities Area New Party (TCANP), an offshoot of a leftist alternative to the Democratic Party. She concludes that the two-party system shortchanges the promise of American democracy. A broader historical perspective may have proven useful, however. Many readers may find this critique too utopian and abstract; its title promises an overview of what is wrong with America's two-party system, but it is instead a case study of presidential politics in St. Paul, MN. An optional purchase for academic libraries. William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Disch's book is strong and unique as it strays from many of the traps that plague third-party literature. Her book does not focus solely on a single party in an attempt to generalize from a unique example, nor does it fall prey to the "easy answer" syndrome: telling the reader why a third party erupted and why it could no longer retain its electoral viability. Disch presents a refreshingly unconventional take on American party history that is unique within this genre of party literature." -- Spencer Jones, Congress and the Presidency

"Disch argues for the legal acceptibility of 'fusion' tickets in which candidates can appear on ballots as nominees of more than one party." -- Choice

"Fascinating and colorful" -- Brian Doherty, Reason

"[T]his book is a critique of the current partisan organization of American politics, its legal and institutional underpinnings, and a celebration of 'third party' alternatives to the political status quo... Disch provides both an interesting story of one reform effort and an enlightening analysis of how the status quo came to be." -- Keith E. Whittington, Perspectives on Politics

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Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (June 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231110359
• ISBN-13: 978-0231110358
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,003,835 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, accessible, provocative--an absolute MUST read, August 23, 2003

By A Customer

I'm not certain how else to say it except directly: it seems clear that Professor Pederson, author of the editorial review, simply failed to read Disch's book. The book was conceived well before Ventura's victory and written before the election of 2000, and its greatest strength is that it takes PRECISELY the historical view that Prof. Pederson calls for. This is NOT a case study of the TCANP, but an erudite, sophisticated and always approachable study of the practice, theory, and HISTORY of the American party "system." Disch takes her analsysis back to 19th century electoral poltics to show how the practice of fusion thrived and how fusion was outlawed through political maneuvering--not by some sort of historical inevitability. Her critique of the two-party system rests on her analysis of a lengthy history of party scholarship, not a "utopian" leanings or general "dissatisfaction." Pederson's review fails to even describe fusion--the common practice in the late nineteenth century of multiple parties nominating the same candidate--even though fusion is central to Disch's argument. He also fails to mention that Disch's critique of the two-party system centers on her brilliant ability to demonstrate how arbitrary and historically produced--how very much not a "system"--is the current configuration of party politics. Instead, Pederson tells us that the two-party system is a "bedrock" of American democracy. Well, almost every page in Disch's book patiently demonstrates for its readers the falsity of that claim. This book should quite simply be required reading for students of American politics and political theory. It makes a perfect complement to an intro course in either field, while at more advanced levels it contributes to advanced party scholarship and the debates over social constructivism. Moreover, the book should be highly recommended reading not just for folks outside of those fields, but for American citizens generally.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly, engaging and provocative, January 17, 2007

By	m.p. (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews

Students of American government (especially undergraduates) usually encounter the two-party system as a given: inevitable, immutable, American-as-apple-pie. This book does an outstanding job of showing how the system we currently have is the product of a series of political choices and circumstances, even beyond the impact of single-member districts and winner-take-all elections most commonly recognized in political science. The book uses the case of electoral fusion as a central focus, but the value of the book is broader than that. It shows, in very scholarly fashion, how the rules, ideology and political culture of our current system was created, and thus destroys the illusion that what we have now is inevitable and eternal. While the book isn't exactly "light" reading (Disch's training as a political theorist is obvious, and it serves the book well), it is very well-written. It will be most accessible to those readers with a bit of political science background.