Political parties

Political parties are associations of politicians and voters who have similar stances on political issues. Examples of political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, the two parties which presently dominate national politics. Voters belong to political parties in much higher percentages in the United States than in any other country in the world; one reason for this may be that there are membership dues for party membership in most countries, while in the United States membership is free.

Throughout its history, the United States has seen the rise and fall of many parties, including:

• Federalist Party
• Antifederalist Party
• Democratic-Republican Party
• Whig Party
• Anti-Masonic Party
• Know Nothing Party
• Liberty Party
• Free Soil Party

Canadian parties include the Liberal Party of Canada, the Conservative Party of Canada, the Bloc Quebecois, and the NDP. Historically, there have been dozens of "joke" parties, particularly in Canada. These include the Canadian Rhino Party, and its successor Quebec party, the Parti Citron.[1]