Michael Said:

I have a bunch of questions involving the UK Government?

We Answered:

In the UK, we have three main parties: The Labour Party, The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberal Democrats). There are also lots of minor parties who have seats in Parliament.

We don't have Democrats, but there are minor parties called the Cornish Democrats and the English Democrats, but I don't know much about them. Nor do we have Republicans. The voting/government system as I understand it, is very different from that which they have in the US.

I voted for the Liberal Democrats. Mainly because I don't agree with the Conservative Party policies and its history, and lots of things have gone wrong under a Labour government.

Hope I helped.

Arthur Said:

How come USA doesn't have a liberal party?

We Answered:

The Green Party would be the closest, but they don't have a big following.

Stacey Said:

Is there any invisible force at play in ensuring that most democratic systems have exactly TWO large parties?

We Answered:

How the government is elected decides how many parties will have power. For example, the US and the UK are pretty similiar in their government structure, so that's how you get those two parties in power. More specifically, the fact that you have to get a majority of the votes to win, over 50%, it automatically makes it so there can only be two viable candidates. The electoral system is also set up in a way that reinforces this: you have to get 270 electoral votes out of the 538, which is more than 50%, once again. If there were to be more than two viable parties, no one could win the initial race, and then there would have to be a run off election to vote between the two top vote getters.

It doesn't have to be this way in a democracy by ANY means. Germany is a prime example of this and how it has a multiparty system. The ballot gives a list of parties, and you can choose a certain number out of those which ones you like, not just one. The number of seats awarded to a party depends on the percentage they got in the votes.

Israel is also a good example of multiparty systems, in which their government elects so many different parties that they have to end up coming together to form coalitions just to get things passed and get things done in their government.

The downside to multiparty systems is that you still end up having two parties that pretty much dominate the legislature, but the upside is that they HAVE to listen to the smaller parties in order to appease and get their votes on issues. So bills are shaped a little differently because these smaller parties do get a little say in the process.

Miriam Said:

Does it surprise you how liberal the UK is?

We Answered:

No not at all. Actually England has been considered liberal for centuries.

Jimmy Said:

Why do Americans use the opposite meaning for the word 'Liberal'?

We Answered:

you're right, but its because socialist who opposed the American and French revolutions, who were largely viewed as radicals until the failed European revolutions of 1848, were able to convince Classical Liberals into thinking that they all stood for the same values.

Ever since, Socialists have been calling themselves Liberals in America. Dont be fooled.

A Classical liberal stands for liberty and freedom FROM arbitrary govt power: the MOST important aspect of liberalism.

Socialists believe freedom is FROM want and desire: a distinct difference in ideology.

Ida Said:

Is that new liberal candidate in the UK like Obama?

We Answered:

yeah...and their conservatives are calling him a Nazi, so he must be like Obama.