Are the Parties Over?

A quick look at American history shows a number of political parties forming and dissolving prior to the Civil War, but then a sustained coalition around the Democratic and Republican parties. There were the odd single-issue parties, independents and perennial non-starters (Prohibition, Socialist, States Rights, etc.) but no serious challenge has been made to the two party system for a very long time.

Perhaps conditions are becoming more favorable to think what is for many the unthinkable.

In Europe, established parties are facing serious and successful challenges from a variety of "green" parties who are now represented at the national level in a number of countries. The recent inconclusive result in the UK elections resulted in a previously unthinkable alliance with the Liberal-Democratic party - itself a combination of the old Liberal party (out of power and in third place for nearly a century) and the 1980s splinter party, the Social Democratic party.

To say that neither the Conservative nor the Liberal-Democrat electorate is enamored with the coalition government is stating the obvious, however, both groups were desperately hungry for power after thirteen years of Labour and decided to give it a go.

What may evolve out of the marriage of convenience is the emergence of a new party occupying a right of center economic and defense stance, but a slightly left of center social position. Indeed, this is where the current mood of the UK population appears to be, but it will isolate - and eventually eliminate - the traditional followers of both parties at the more extreme left and right.

The similarities with what is going on in the United States are worth noting. Within both the Democratic and Republican parties there are battles going on between the right and left tendencies. The public appears not to have a simple preference for either party. Indeed, it would prefer to chose the bits that it does like, just as it channel hops, or creates its own version of the news. [Whatever party wins, reconciling these selfish forces will be a serious challenge.]

Ambitious young politicians have some exciting opportunities ahead of them if they want to build new constituencies, reform worn party policies and excite a new generation of voters. This can be done from within an existing party, or through the formation of a whole new, imaginative, 21st century concept that can relate to today's electorate.