Third Parties in America

*Although a strong two party system exists in the United States it is possible for minor parties to emerge. These minor parties are called third parties. There are many third parties in existence in America today. In addition to the Democrats and Republicans there are more than 50 other minor political parties currently in existence.

-Third parties exist for a variety of reasons. The most common reason third parties emerge is simply because some people do not feel as though their system of political beliefs match up with the two major parties. Some of these parties are more mainstream and share many of the ideas of the two major parties; other parties have ideology that is very strange and different from the way most people think politically.

-Some of the more mainstream third parties throughout history have been successful. During the 1990’s the Reform Party had candidates win some state and local elections; the most prominent candidate elected from the Reform Party was Jesse Ventura who was elected governor of Minnesota. Ross Perot, the founder of the Reform Party was a serious candidate in the presidential elections of 1992 and 1996. The Libertarian Party has also had some success in winning local and state elections. Perhaps the most successful of all third parties is the Republican Party.

-There are some third parties that are completely radical and have no real chance of winning elections. Some of these parties are The Knights Party, The Libertarian National Socialist Green Party, The U.S. Marijuana Party, The American Nazi Party, The Freedom Socialist/Radical Women Party, and the Communist Party of America.

-There are three categories of third parties in America today. They are as follows:



-Single-Issue Parties: These parties focus exclusively on one major social, economic, or moral issue. Examples of single-issue parties are The Family Values Party, The Southern Party, and the Prohibition Party.

-Ideological Parties: These parties focus on an overall change in society. These parties tend to have different and sometimes radical ideas that do not adhere to the political norm of the two major parties. Examples of ideological parties are The Green Party USA, The Libertarian Party, and the Socialist Workers Party.

-Splinter Parties: These parties are formed when one of the major political parties suffers a split due to disagreements in the party or changes in ideology within the party. An example of a splinter party is the Progressive Party, also known as the Bull-Moose Party. This party was a splinter of the Republican Party, and was formed in 1912.