As a beacon of immigration, America’s cultural pluralism is famous across the world. In 1795, the young nation passed by a single vote an ordinance requiring translation of federal laws into German – beginning a tradition of acceptance which today sees laws published in over sixty languages and has made the United States one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse in the world.
Although this tradition has united the peoples of the world in the aspiration to become Americans, it has to an extent divided them once they do so – within its borders, America remains divided along ethnic and linguistic lines. Different groups read their own newspapers, pray at their own churches, and vote for their own parties.
Nowadays, these ethno-political coalitions are so calcified that political change only happens at the margins, or by grand agreements between community leaders. The recent midterm election is a case in point. In terms of seats, very little changed, but the collapse in confidence in the previously-ascendant Freedom and Justice coalition allowed the Progressives to cobble together enough seats to take the leadership.
Seat breakdown:
List of parties, organized by electoral alliance in this election:
United Left
National Solidarity (Narodowej Solidarności/Народна солидарност) – A national alliance of Slavic and other Eastern European ethnicities, though dominated by the Poles. Their documents are published in 13 languages (9 Slavic languages as well as Hungarian, Romanian, Albanian, and English), more than any other party. For this reason, their coalition is one of the most unstable of any in the country, though increased ‘polonization’ as a result of gradually uniting communities has increased its coherence. Socially center-conservative, economically socialist.
People’s Labor (人民工黨) – The closest thing America has to a ‘communist’ party, born out of the independent Chinese railroad and teamster syndicates from the early 1900s, when they were excluded from the multiethnic European labor unions. Radical left on both economic and social issues, and best known for their yearly demonstrations in San Francisco against the ruling coalition’s foreign policy – even when they are part of it.
Hellenic Social (Ελληνικό Σοσιαλιστικό Κόμμα) – A Greek party and one of many American political organizations to be founded as a result of political shifts imported from the old country, though one of the few which lasted. Started life as one of many Mediterranean-based splinter factions of the Popular Republicans, and became a solely Greek party after the Italian invasion of Greece hardened Greek opinion against Italy. Increasingly, its power base is moving from New York to Florida, and the party’s base is moving right with it – but for now, the leadership retains its traditional economically left, socially center-left views.
Finnish People’s (Suomen kansanpuolue) – A tiny party of ethnic Finns which monopolizes the eastern part of the state of Superior, and occasionally wins statewide races. Socially liberal and economically populist. The sole Suomi representative famously flipped the presidential race of 1972 by defecting from the left coalition during the House vote due to perceived softness on Russia, sending Superior and the Presidency to the other major candidate. This has led to the phrase ‘don’t forget the Finns’ entering the American lexicon, to have a similar meaning to ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch’.
Progressive
Social Democratic (Sozialdemokraten) – a grand coalition of German voters, finally accomplished after years of divisive conflict with the Center party, which drifted into irrelevance after the turmoil of the 1970s. The largest party in the country, and the de facto frontrunner for any national race, though demographic trends suggest that the party’s best days are now behind it. For now, the party’s relative internal coherence compared to the other large parties and its good relations with many potential coalition partners seems to keep it competitive. Socially center-left, economically center-left.
Popular Republican (Daoine Poblachtach) – Formed originally as a general immigrant’s interests party in the 1850s to oppose discriminatory machine politics in New York City, but gradually became a predominantly Irish party as other groups formed their own organizations. Economically left, and theoretically socially centrist, but increasingly ripped apart by the issue of abortion. Their influence nationwide has been cut dramatically by defection of the conservative wing to the Independence party.
United Christian Democratic (Förenta kristdemokraterna) – a union of several Scandinavian parties originally founded to oppose the dominance of the Populist Farmer-Labor party in the northern plains. During the 1950s and 1960s, that party’s voters were gradually absorbed into the Social Democratic party, leaving the Christian Democrats as the sole uniquely Scandinavian option. Slowly dying out due to further defection to the other two Germanic parties and due to controversy between the Swedes and Norwegians over party leadership. Economically center-right, socially center-left.
New Center (Nieuw centrum/Neuezentrum) – A New York-based party founded to pick up moderate (or Catholic) German and Dutch voters left out in the cold by the decline of the (old) Center party. They are occasionally boosted by an unpopular decision made by the Social Democrats, but are for the most part insignificant outside of New York. Economically centrist, socially center-left.
Liberal Reformist
Whig – the oldest party in the country by far. For most of its history simply a New England-based party, but since the early 1900s decline of the previous big-tent Democratic party, has increasingly also acted as an alternative for English speakers to the nativist American party. Traditionally acted as a centrist power broker and continues to lead a centrist electoral alliance, but demographics shifts have reduced its influence. Socially centrist, economically center-right.
Unity (Unité/Unidad) –a coalition of the New England and Louisiana-based French-speaking parties, now attempting to branch out to moderate Spanish-speakers. Still maintains significant regional differences - the New England faction is economically center-right and socially centrist, while the Louisiana faction is economically populist and socially center-left. Another schism is practically inevitable, though for now the New English faction is predominant.
Liberal Republican (Partido Republicano Liberal) – a once-significant faction started in the late 1800s as an attempt to bring Spanish-speaking votes into the Republican coalition. Faded to insignificance with the rise of the National Liberal party in the 1950s and 1960s, and has become a Portuguese ethnic party, with most of its support in the concentrated communities of southern Massachusetts. Socially conservative, economically center-right.
Freedom and Justice
National Liberal (Partido Liberal Nacional) – a Mexican-dominated Spanish-speaking party and the main political alternative to the Social Democrats for national power. Founded in the 1960s as an economically left alternative to the conservative local Spanish parties for farm laborers, and actively participated in left alliances throughout the 1970s, but gradually drifted right as the party became more religious and the main power center for Spanish-speakers. Socially center-right, economically centrist.
Freedman’s - originated out of the Freedman’s Associations of the 1870s and developed as a general advocacy group for the civil rights of African-Americans. Successfully developed into a political organization and gained national importance after the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Economically center-right, socially conservative – though the leadership tends to be much more liberal than the average voter.
Filipino Citizen’s Alliance (Pagkakaisa Mga Mamamayang Pilipino) – A Filipino party with its roots in statehood advocacy organizations of the first half of the 20th century. When the country gained independence, those who remained in the United States reformed the national coalition into an ethnic party. Slowly losing voters to National Liberal as the near-universally bilingual Filipino community prioritizes Spanish. Economically center-right, socially center-right.
Patriot’s
American – a nativist party with its roots in the mid 1800s. Previously advocated primarily for cultural and linguistic assimilation, though recently party leaders have attempted to save the party from demographic decline by moving to become an ethnic organization for native English speakers, with some success. Socially conservative, economically center-right.
Deseret ( ) – A Mormon party which holds a monopoly on power in the state of Deseret and is essentially nonexistent elsewhere. As a result of its big-tent nature, its representatives range wildly in beliefs on the local level, and vigorously contested primaries keep a semblance of democratic accountability in the state itself, but its national representatives are extremely socially conservative and somewhat economically right. (note: the party name in the Deseret alphabet probably won't show up for you. Just trust that it looks interesting.)
Unaligned
New Democratic (Nuovo Partito Democratico) – a New York-based Italian party founded in the early 1900s as the main opposition to the Popular Republicans in the tri-state area. The ‘New Democratic’ name technically came about only after the organized crime scandals of the 1960s, but the party structure is de facto the same. Recently has acted as a swing party between the center-left and center-right alliances. Socially center-right, economically centrist.
Independence (Pàrtaidh Eisimeileachd) – initially a defection of Scottish delegates from the Popular Republican party, now acts as a catch-all protest vote party for those with Celtic backgrounds either too right-leaning for the Popular Republicans or too left-leaning for the American Party. This considered, party leadership has done a decently good job keeping the coalition together, though the decision to caucus with the center-left for the first time this election will undoubtedly hurt them going forward. Socially centrist, economically populist – in general.
Native Rights (Dashajah Eryyhgv bee Hazʼáanii/Оkȟólakičhiye ikčé iyówaža) – a barely-coherent alliance of 28 Native American groups. Although preservation of native culture and rights is the sole truly common issue, on the national level the party also often takes on radical left social and economic views. The party occasionally caucuses with the left alliance, though previously good relations with the National Solidarity party have deteriorated over conflicting priorities.
Jewish People’s (ייִדיש מענטשן ס פּאַרטיי) – As the name implies, a Jewish ethnic party founded in the 1910s which only returned to relevance in the 1990s after decades of schism over Zionism - the anti-Zionists won as their opponents all moved to Israel. Recently has focused its efforts on becoming a local power broker between the Popular Republicans and New Democrats in New York and New Jersey, to moderate success. Economically center-right, socially left – technically, rarely in an electoral alliance but almost always back the Social Democratic coalition in the end.
Righteous Reform (의로운 개혁의 당 / 正しい改革の党) – the most successful of the various party organizations set up on the West Coast in the 1960s and 1970s to cater to second-wave non-Chinese Asian immigrants. Predominantly Korean, though also includes Japanese and a fair number of Chinese who are too conservative to vote for People’s Labor. Socially center-right, economically right.
Vietnamese Refugee Association (Hiệp hội người tị nạn Việt Nam) - an organization founded in the 1970s to provide aid to South Asian war refugees and advocate for further intervention in South Asia, which developed into a resettlement group when the war ended. Despite operating for forty years now as a political organization and despite the slow decline of the actual ‘refugee’ population, continues to refuse to call itself a ‘party’. Economically right, socially right – though with the focus on a hawkish foreign policy.
Muslim Center (حزب الوسط الاسلامي/iحزب مرکز اسلامی) – A coalition of a few minor Middle Eastern organizations (not all Muslim) to break the threshold for national representation. Less religious, less Sunni, and less Arab than in the past. Historically does not vote on leadership elections, but made an exception this time as a result of the very close count. Socially conservative, economically center-right.
A rough chart to simplify the political situation:
Background: I saw this map a little while back and had the idea of making a scenario in which it could be an electoral map. I was thinking about making a deeper series and might still do so, but I felt the need to push this out before Heitkamp lost her seat and became less relevant, because I don't think I could ever find a more appropriate leader for the German party. Obviously, this scenario requires and implies much greater ethnic concentration than exists in OTL. Native speakers of anything, please excuse the party names - they were machine translated and are really just there for flavor.
Although this tradition has united the peoples of the world in the aspiration to become Americans, it has to an extent divided them once they do so – within its borders, America remains divided along ethnic and linguistic lines. Different groups read their own newspapers, pray at their own churches, and vote for their own parties.
Nowadays, these ethno-political coalitions are so calcified that political change only happens at the margins, or by grand agreements between community leaders. The recent midterm election is a case in point. In terms of seats, very little changed, but the collapse in confidence in the previously-ascendant Freedom and Justice coalition allowed the Progressives to cobble together enough seats to take the leadership.
Seat breakdown:
List of parties, organized by electoral alliance in this election:
United Left
National Solidarity (Narodowej Solidarności/Народна солидарност) – A national alliance of Slavic and other Eastern European ethnicities, though dominated by the Poles. Their documents are published in 13 languages (9 Slavic languages as well as Hungarian, Romanian, Albanian, and English), more than any other party. For this reason, their coalition is one of the most unstable of any in the country, though increased ‘polonization’ as a result of gradually uniting communities has increased its coherence. Socially center-conservative, economically socialist.
People’s Labor (人民工黨) – The closest thing America has to a ‘communist’ party, born out of the independent Chinese railroad and teamster syndicates from the early 1900s, when they were excluded from the multiethnic European labor unions. Radical left on both economic and social issues, and best known for their yearly demonstrations in San Francisco against the ruling coalition’s foreign policy – even when they are part of it.
Hellenic Social (Ελληνικό Σοσιαλιστικό Κόμμα) – A Greek party and one of many American political organizations to be founded as a result of political shifts imported from the old country, though one of the few which lasted. Started life as one of many Mediterranean-based splinter factions of the Popular Republicans, and became a solely Greek party after the Italian invasion of Greece hardened Greek opinion against Italy. Increasingly, its power base is moving from New York to Florida, and the party’s base is moving right with it – but for now, the leadership retains its traditional economically left, socially center-left views.
Finnish People’s (Suomen kansanpuolue) – A tiny party of ethnic Finns which monopolizes the eastern part of the state of Superior, and occasionally wins statewide races. Socially liberal and economically populist. The sole Suomi representative famously flipped the presidential race of 1972 by defecting from the left coalition during the House vote due to perceived softness on Russia, sending Superior and the Presidency to the other major candidate. This has led to the phrase ‘don’t forget the Finns’ entering the American lexicon, to have a similar meaning to ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch’.
Progressive
Social Democratic (Sozialdemokraten) – a grand coalition of German voters, finally accomplished after years of divisive conflict with the Center party, which drifted into irrelevance after the turmoil of the 1970s. The largest party in the country, and the de facto frontrunner for any national race, though demographic trends suggest that the party’s best days are now behind it. For now, the party’s relative internal coherence compared to the other large parties and its good relations with many potential coalition partners seems to keep it competitive. Socially center-left, economically center-left.
Popular Republican (Daoine Poblachtach) – Formed originally as a general immigrant’s interests party in the 1850s to oppose discriminatory machine politics in New York City, but gradually became a predominantly Irish party as other groups formed their own organizations. Economically left, and theoretically socially centrist, but increasingly ripped apart by the issue of abortion. Their influence nationwide has been cut dramatically by defection of the conservative wing to the Independence party.
United Christian Democratic (Förenta kristdemokraterna) – a union of several Scandinavian parties originally founded to oppose the dominance of the Populist Farmer-Labor party in the northern plains. During the 1950s and 1960s, that party’s voters were gradually absorbed into the Social Democratic party, leaving the Christian Democrats as the sole uniquely Scandinavian option. Slowly dying out due to further defection to the other two Germanic parties and due to controversy between the Swedes and Norwegians over party leadership. Economically center-right, socially center-left.
New Center (Nieuw centrum/Neuezentrum) – A New York-based party founded to pick up moderate (or Catholic) German and Dutch voters left out in the cold by the decline of the (old) Center party. They are occasionally boosted by an unpopular decision made by the Social Democrats, but are for the most part insignificant outside of New York. Economically centrist, socially center-left.
Liberal Reformist
Whig – the oldest party in the country by far. For most of its history simply a New England-based party, but since the early 1900s decline of the previous big-tent Democratic party, has increasingly also acted as an alternative for English speakers to the nativist American party. Traditionally acted as a centrist power broker and continues to lead a centrist electoral alliance, but demographics shifts have reduced its influence. Socially centrist, economically center-right.
Unity (Unité/Unidad) –a coalition of the New England and Louisiana-based French-speaking parties, now attempting to branch out to moderate Spanish-speakers. Still maintains significant regional differences - the New England faction is economically center-right and socially centrist, while the Louisiana faction is economically populist and socially center-left. Another schism is practically inevitable, though for now the New English faction is predominant.
Liberal Republican (Partido Republicano Liberal) – a once-significant faction started in the late 1800s as an attempt to bring Spanish-speaking votes into the Republican coalition. Faded to insignificance with the rise of the National Liberal party in the 1950s and 1960s, and has become a Portuguese ethnic party, with most of its support in the concentrated communities of southern Massachusetts. Socially conservative, economically center-right.
Freedom and Justice
National Liberal (Partido Liberal Nacional) – a Mexican-dominated Spanish-speaking party and the main political alternative to the Social Democrats for national power. Founded in the 1960s as an economically left alternative to the conservative local Spanish parties for farm laborers, and actively participated in left alliances throughout the 1970s, but gradually drifted right as the party became more religious and the main power center for Spanish-speakers. Socially center-right, economically centrist.
Freedman’s - originated out of the Freedman’s Associations of the 1870s and developed as a general advocacy group for the civil rights of African-Americans. Successfully developed into a political organization and gained national importance after the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Economically center-right, socially conservative – though the leadership tends to be much more liberal than the average voter.
Filipino Citizen’s Alliance (Pagkakaisa Mga Mamamayang Pilipino) – A Filipino party with its roots in statehood advocacy organizations of the first half of the 20th century. When the country gained independence, those who remained in the United States reformed the national coalition into an ethnic party. Slowly losing voters to National Liberal as the near-universally bilingual Filipino community prioritizes Spanish. Economically center-right, socially center-right.
Patriot’s
American – a nativist party with its roots in the mid 1800s. Previously advocated primarily for cultural and linguistic assimilation, though recently party leaders have attempted to save the party from demographic decline by moving to become an ethnic organization for native English speakers, with some success. Socially conservative, economically center-right.
Deseret ( ) – A Mormon party which holds a monopoly on power in the state of Deseret and is essentially nonexistent elsewhere. As a result of its big-tent nature, its representatives range wildly in beliefs on the local level, and vigorously contested primaries keep a semblance of democratic accountability in the state itself, but its national representatives are extremely socially conservative and somewhat economically right. (note: the party name in the Deseret alphabet probably won't show up for you. Just trust that it looks interesting.)
Unaligned
New Democratic (Nuovo Partito Democratico) – a New York-based Italian party founded in the early 1900s as the main opposition to the Popular Republicans in the tri-state area. The ‘New Democratic’ name technically came about only after the organized crime scandals of the 1960s, but the party structure is de facto the same. Recently has acted as a swing party between the center-left and center-right alliances. Socially center-right, economically centrist.
Independence (Pàrtaidh Eisimeileachd) – initially a defection of Scottish delegates from the Popular Republican party, now acts as a catch-all protest vote party for those with Celtic backgrounds either too right-leaning for the Popular Republicans or too left-leaning for the American Party. This considered, party leadership has done a decently good job keeping the coalition together, though the decision to caucus with the center-left for the first time this election will undoubtedly hurt them going forward. Socially centrist, economically populist – in general.
Native Rights (Dashajah Eryyhgv bee Hazʼáanii/Оkȟólakičhiye ikčé iyówaža) – a barely-coherent alliance of 28 Native American groups. Although preservation of native culture and rights is the sole truly common issue, on the national level the party also often takes on radical left social and economic views. The party occasionally caucuses with the left alliance, though previously good relations with the National Solidarity party have deteriorated over conflicting priorities.
Jewish People’s (ייִדיש מענטשן ס פּאַרטיי) – As the name implies, a Jewish ethnic party founded in the 1910s which only returned to relevance in the 1990s after decades of schism over Zionism - the anti-Zionists won as their opponents all moved to Israel. Recently has focused its efforts on becoming a local power broker between the Popular Republicans and New Democrats in New York and New Jersey, to moderate success. Economically center-right, socially left – technically, rarely in an electoral alliance but almost always back the Social Democratic coalition in the end.
Righteous Reform (의로운 개혁의 당 / 正しい改革の党) – the most successful of the various party organizations set up on the West Coast in the 1960s and 1970s to cater to second-wave non-Chinese Asian immigrants. Predominantly Korean, though also includes Japanese and a fair number of Chinese who are too conservative to vote for People’s Labor. Socially center-right, economically right.
Vietnamese Refugee Association (Hiệp hội người tị nạn Việt Nam) - an organization founded in the 1970s to provide aid to South Asian war refugees and advocate for further intervention in South Asia, which developed into a resettlement group when the war ended. Despite operating for forty years now as a political organization and despite the slow decline of the actual ‘refugee’ population, continues to refuse to call itself a ‘party’. Economically right, socially right – though with the focus on a hawkish foreign policy.
Muslim Center (حزب الوسط الاسلامي/iحزب مرکز اسلامی) – A coalition of a few minor Middle Eastern organizations (not all Muslim) to break the threshold for national representation. Less religious, less Sunni, and less Arab than in the past. Historically does not vote on leadership elections, but made an exception this time as a result of the very close count. Socially conservative, economically center-right.
A rough chart to simplify the political situation:
Background: I saw this map a little while back and had the idea of making a scenario in which it could be an electoral map. I was thinking about making a deeper series and might still do so, but I felt the need to push this out before Heitkamp lost her seat and became less relevant, because I don't think I could ever find a more appropriate leader for the German party. Obviously, this scenario requires and implies much greater ethnic concentration than exists in OTL. Native speakers of anything, please excuse the party names - they were machine translated and are really just there for flavor.
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