Synopses & Reviews
Third parties have been a fixture in the American political landscape since the beginning of the two-party system. More than 300 of these groups have surfaced, but only a handful have made a real difference.
Third-Party Matters: Politics, Presidents, and Third Parties in American History tells the intriguing stories of those 11 parties, starting with the antislavery Liberty Party of 1840.
The parties deemed worthy of inclusion were selected because they met at least one of three criteria. They were spoilers who changed the outcome of an election, they had an important influence on government policy or the future of politics, and/or they had popular appeal, attracting at least ten percent of the vote. This investigation reveals the background behind each party's rise, what it stood for, who its leaders were—including larger-than-life personalities like Teddy Roosevelt, George Wallace, and Ross Perot—and the ultimate outcome of the election(s) in which the party participated.
Review
"[Green] writes well and maintains readers' interest…Recommended." - Choice
Synopsis
This fascinating book looks at the select group of third parties that have made a real difference in U.S. politics and governance.
Third parties have been a fixture in the American political landscape since the beginning of the two-party system. More than 300 of these groups have surfaced, but only a handful have made a real difference. Third-Party Matters: Politics, Presidents, and Third Parties in American History tells the intriguing stories of those 11 parties, starting with the antislavery Liberty Party of 1840.
The parties deemed worthy of inclusion were selected because they met at least one of three criteria. They were spoilers who changed the outcome of an election, they had an important influence on government policy or the future of politics, and/or they had popular appeal, attracting at least ten percent of the vote. This investigation reveals the background behind each party's rise, what it stood for, who its leaders were--including larger-than-life personalities like Teddy Roosevelt, George Wallace, and Ross Perot--and the ultimate outcome of the election(s) in which the party participated.
Synopsis
This fascinating book looks at the select group of third parties that have made a real difference in U.S. politics and governance.
Synopsis
• Brief biographies of a select group of parties and personalities, including the first-ever third party, the longest-running third party, third parties organized by women, and those started by racial and ethnic minorities
• A chronology showing the 11 important third parties that have figured in presidential elections, beginning with the election of 1840
• A bibliography listing sources for further reading
Synopsis
In the critical 1860 election, Tennessee slave owner John Bell stood for a newly formed third party, the Constitutional Unionists. Concerned about the future of the Union, he took a moderate position he hoped would tamp down sectional passions. Bell won 40 percent of the vote in the South, belying the belief that all Southerners favored an immediate rush into secessionand demonstrating that third parties have valuable lessons to teach about American history.
Synopsis
• Focuses on the 11 third parties that have made a difference in American politics
• Investigates the issues for which these parties stood—issues that reflect the key concerns of various periods in American history
• Reveals in detail the fascinating personal stories and personality quirks—warts and all—of the colorful individuals who have led many third party movements, including Theodore Roosevelt, Robert LaFollette, George Wallace, and Ross Perot
• Proves that third parties have brought more change to the United States than most people realize