Two Party and Multi Party System

FONTS

Two Party and Multi Party System

Advantages Of Multi Party System

TWO PARTY VS MULTI-PARTY

• Unlike a single-party system (or a non-partisan democracy), it encourages the general constituency to form multiple distinct, officially recognized groups, generally called political parties. Each party competes for votes from the enfranchised constituents (those allowed to vote).
• A multi-party system prevents the leadership of a single party from controlling a single legislative chamber without challenge. 

• The two-party system is a deeply rooted feature of the American government. In most two-party elections, the contest is between two candidates of two major political parties. In the United States, they are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
• Multi-party systems, on the other hand, are set up to allow multiple political parties to have the opportunity to gain control of the government separately or in coalition.
• Multi-party systems have many variants, and some end up looking more like the United States' two-party system where only one or two parties really have all the power.

• The more prevalent form of a multi-party system is one that relies on proportional representation, where the legislative seats are allocated to parties in proportion to the percentage of votes they win in elections.
• Nevertheless, both the two-party and multi-party systems have their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages Of Two Party System

• Two-party systems are often considered to be more stable than multiparty systems and it is thought that political stability can benefit economic growth.
• Many consider the simplicity of a two-party political system to be an advantage.
• The system is simple for voters as they only have two parties to decide between and it is also simpler to govern. There is more harmony and less unruliness in a two-party system than in a multiparty system.

Disadvantages Of Multi Party System

Disadvantages Of Two Party

• Lead to alliances, which at times create political uncertainity / instability, Parties fail to grow beyond the regional vision.
• It excludes smaller parties from 'fair' representation, in the sense that a party which wins approximately, say, 10 per cent of the votes should win approximately 10 per cent of the legislative seats.
• It can encourage the development of political parties based on clan, ethnicity or region, which may base their campaigns and policy platforms on conceptions that are attractive to the majority of people in their district or region but exclude or are hostile to others.

• Two-party systems have been criticized for downplaying alternative views, being less competitive, encouraging voter apathy since there is a perception of fewer choices, and putting a damper on debate within a nation.
• There have been arguments that the winner-take-all mechanism discourages independent or third-party candidates from running for office or promulgating their views.

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