Resource for Paper A

The resource for Paper A I am writing about comes from an essay by John F. Bibby in “Multiparty Politics in America” (ed. Paul Herrnson and John C. Green). In his essay, Bibby essentially asks the question, what are the consequences of the two-party system on American politics? His enthymeme is, “using the two-party system makes American politics stable... because using the two-party system leads to legitimacy and moderation.” The implicit assumption is that moderation and legitimacy lead to political stability.

Bibby makes the argument that the two-party system is good for America because it forces politicians to take the relative middle ground and provides them with the support of many, if not most, Americans.

Bibby’s audience are critics of the two-party system. The title of Bibby’s essay, “In Defense of the Two-Party System,” makes this clear. These critics are likely not political scientists, since the tone in which he refers to the ideas of different political scientists suggests they are a separate group. Most likely, they are politically-astute people who would favor a multiparty system in American government.

Bibby’s goal is to convince people that the two-party system should be preserved in U.S. politics, along with its contributions. He makes the argument largely with logos, explaining what perpetuates the two-party system (the Electoral College and the FEC) and elaborating on the benefits it has. He also uses ethos, quoting other political scientists, but the argument is practically void of pathos as he makes no attempt to appeal to the emotions of his audience.

The argument is effective; Bibby does a good job of defending his position, making concessions, and backing himself up with other sources. For an audience that is sitting on the fence, this could be a very sufficient argument. It also seems to be an accurate argument; both his argument and the one before it, which contradicted his position, were accurate, though the spin each author used differed. It is also relevant; while there is not a huge push right now to move to a parliamentary system of government, there are some who wonder about the two-party system and want to know its benefits and drawbacks.