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Politics : View from the Center and Left
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To: JohnM who wrote (200452)9/7/2012 12:21:52 PM
From: Sam  Read Replies (1) of 542154
 
If a party declines, it doesn't lead to multiple parties but to another party taking that space.

It is impossible for multiple parties to arise in any meaningful way in a winner-take-all system like we have. Any third party that gets a significant minority constituency will find itself absorbed in one of the major 2 parties, as they seek votes. And the constituency will go there instead of remaining a (say) 10-20% party because 10-20% doesn't win anything in a winner take all system. In a proportional system, they would have incentive to remain at least semi-independent and whole, becoming a partner in one of the other parties rather than being absorbed in it.

Of course, that is one of the features of our electoral system that creates tensions within parties, as the different factions battle it out to try to get their priorities addressed first. Or even at all.
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