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Compare And Contrast Political Parties

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Ever since the beginning of political parties with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, there has always been a clear division in political viewpoints. Now, the predominant opposing parties are the Republican and Democratic parties. Both parties have dominated the political scene for over 150 years with an unrelenting desire to gain more power in government and have their political beliefs addressed in legislation. Although currently the Democratic Party has a liberal platform and the Republican Party has a conservative platform, both parties have switched from its original stance when the party was first created.
The Democratic Party began as Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party in 1792 that believed in having a weak, decentralized government. It was formed to oppose the Federalists who created policies that favored aristocrats rather than the common man. It was not until 1828, with the election of Andrew Jackson, that this party was officially called the Democratic Party. After Reconstruction ended, the South became predominantly Democratic as they associated the Republican Party with the Union victory and the antislavery movement. The …show more content…

The Republican Party, also known as the Grand Old Party, was formed by former members of the Whig Party, the Free Soil Party, and those who strongly opposed the spread of slavery into the territories. Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860, the Union victory of the Civil War, and the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments further solidified the Republicans’ position as a dominant political party. The Republican Party started out as a liberal party with policies favoring high tariffs, allocating money for social programs, and strongly supporting immigration. However, as the Democrats became more liberal, the Republicans countered with a more conservative approach and controlled the presidency for many

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