America's founders feared political parties—and then almost immediately began creating them. So are parties an unfortunate obstacle to democracy, or are they the reason democracy works at all?

Georgetown University political scientist Hans Noel joins Bob Crawford to explain why the Constitution never mentions political parties, how America became locked into a two-party system, and why Democrats and Republicans have repeatedly transformed without disappearing.

They explore whether parties shape what voters believe, the rise of populism on both the right and left, Donald Trump's takeover of the Republican Party, and whether independent candidates can truly escape party politics. Hans also answers a provocative question: Would stronger political parties actually make American democracy work better?

Plus: Is America really a center-right country—and will the Senate filibuster survive?

Have a question about American history? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com, and it could be featured in a future episode!

 

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