Sixth Party System
This article is about the Sixth Party System of the United Commonwealth. For the Sixth Party System of the Western States, see Sixth Party System (United States). For other articles titled Sixth Party System, see Sixth Party System (disambiguation)
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The Sixth Party System is the era in United Commonwealth politics following the American 5th Party System. Formed in the aftermath of the United States' collapse, many parties competed for prominence and many members changing parties until around the election of 1994, where five parties rose to the top, the Democratic Party, Republican Party, Progressive Party, Commonwealth Socialist Party and the Libertarian Party. Much of the systems origins are debated, with some considering it beginning on the Commonwealth's Independence, others all the way to 1994, but most agree on the 1982 election as being when it began to take shape. The inclusion of more than two parties was something new in comparison to other American elections.[1] The United Commonwealth transitioned to a more parliamentary democracy (although maintaining a president and many elements of presidential democracy), this allowed more parties to flourish.
- ↑ With exceptions. The Populist Party had successes in the 1890s, and the Dixiecrats and AIP had successes in the 1948 and 1968 elections. The election before the civil war had four major parties. These were outliers and not a norm for a party system, however.