The Unauthorized History of Political Parties

The Framers design the Electoral College to make political parties unnecessary, but it doesn’t work. Parties quickly form around the competing visions of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.

As slavery tensions heat up, the view of parties changes - from undesirable to indispensable. Democrats embrace the populism of Andrew Jackson and anti-slavery Republicans win with Abraham Lincoln.

Progressive Era innovations like primaries favor larger-than-life candidates. Roosevelt bolts the GOP for a third-party run and FDR assembles a Democratic coalition that's held for almost a century.

The Democratic Party fractures over issues of race, and the Republicans rebound by embracing a new conservative agenda, introduced by Barry Goldwater and realized by Ronald Reagan.

Ross Perot rips the major parties on trade. Barack Obama's Dems embrace identity politics and coastal elites. Donald Trump reshapes the GOP. Kamala Harris and the return of the 'smoke-filled room.'