Includes bibliographical references (pages 185-191) and index.
Contents:
Introduction : a third-party revival? -- Unraveling the conundrum of third-party decline -- Duverger's law and the American electoral system -- The impact of ballot access laws -- The prohibition of fusion -- Do primaries undermine third parties? -- Co-optation and third-party waves -- The decline and rise of political polarization -- The evolution of party resources -- Conclusion : a reemergence of third parties?
Summary:
Virtually all academic books on American third parties in the last half-century assume that they have largely disappeared. This book challenges that orthodoxy by explaining the (temporary) decline of third parties, demonstrating through the latest evidence that they are enjoying a resurgence, and arguing that they are likely to once again play a significant role in American politics. The book is based on a wealth of data, including district-level results from US House of Representatives elections, state-level election laws after the Civil War, and recent district-level election results from Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.