Minor Parties
Chapter 5
Section 4
Minor Parties in the United States
• Some parties have been more regionalized
• The ones that have been nation wide tend to
be short-lived
• Four Categories of Minor Parties
1. Ideological Parties
2. Single-Issue Parties
3. Economic Protest Parties
4. Splinter Parties
Ideological Parties
• Based on a particular set of beliefs
• Many of these parties tend to be Marxist
(Socialist and Communist)
• The Libertarian Party is an example of an
ideological party today (individualism and
limited government)
• Tend to be long-lived
Single-Issue Parties
• Focus on ONE public-policy matter
• Take on important issues of the particular time
period
– Free Soil – Anti-slavery
– Know Nothings – Anti-immigration
– Right to Life – Anti-abortion
• Usually short-lived because they fail to attract
voters
Economic Protest Parties
• Rooted in periods of economic discontent
• Usually attack the established financial
institutions
• Appeal to specific regions of the country
• As the country recovered economically, these
parties have faded
Splinter Parties
• Parties that have split away from one of the
major parties
• Most important of all minor parties
• Most notably the “Bull Moose” Party in 1912
• Form around a strong leader
• Have faded away as these leaders have
stepped out of the public light
Why Minor Parties are Important
• Ideas and practices some time taken by the
major parties
– A minor party was the first to hold a national
convention to nominate a presidential candidate
• “Spoiler Role” – take enough votes away
from one of the major parties
• Being a critic and innovator
• Force major parties to address controversial
issues