George Washington’s 1796 farewell address is remembered for many reasons, most notably his condemnation of political parties, which he viewed as “potent engines to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government.” In fact, at the time, many saw these factions as a hurdle to democracy, citing that citizens might vote out of loyalty rather than policy and that governments might govern keeping revenge in mind rather than interest for their constituents. Their worries about polar partisanship have, in some ways, manifested themselves in today’s political climate. The recent government shutdown, which started on Oct. 1, 2025 and ended on Nov. 12, 2025, is a good example of this. The Republican-controlled White House referred to the shutdown as a “tantrum” on the part of Democrats, and some Democratic House representatives and states placed the blame on Republicans. The fact that these shutdowns occur so frequently in the U.S. can also be attributed to partisan politics, which are characterized by people’s strong commitment to a specific political party, according to a Harvard Kennedy School article by Nora Delaney. It is my opinion that even with their shortcomings, the formation of political parties is inevitable.
A political party is a group of people organized to acquire and exercise political power, according to the Britannica Encyclopedia. Additionally, parties are made of like-minded people, according to a UNT Dallas College of Law paper by W. David Griggs. Often, parties have been created in the interest of changing how society or the government functions. For example, the Free Soil party formed in 1848 to propel a specific solution to the ongoing debate over slavery. Humans are biologically prepared to seek membership in groups, especially ones with like-minded individuals. These groups are useful as they enable one to reach goals unattainable alone. It is due to these facts that people and politicians will inevitably band together with those of shared views — it is almost a biological requirement, aside from helping attain political goals. It is also easier to come to a compromise that satisfies two — in the case of the U.S. — main groups, than one that satisfies a myriad of individual actors.
Another reason political parties would be organically discovered and rediscovered if we kept restarting our system of democracy is because of how they help voters. When a voter can associate a candidate with a party, instead of researching multiple varied candidates individually at each election, they are able to weigh policy issues based on the values and priorities of that party. This simplicity is incredibly helpful to voters when making a decision, whether or not it is good for democracy. Knowing this, politicians have more of an incentive to divide themselves into value-based groups to help voters.
Though political parties appear to be inevitable, they do not need to create as much divide as one might think. The Free Soil Party was one that drew from many others, like the Democratic and Whig parties from the time. In this way, ideally functioning political parties make a way for competing views and interests to find common ground and strengthen their collective position. In a well-designed system, the unavoidable partition of politicians will not result in a black and white political landscape, but let nuance remain, because it is easier to compromise with a few groups than with many individuals. And though parties will likely always exist, people can choose to spread their beliefs across a spectrum.
