Divided government
Encyclopedia
In the United States
, divided government describes a situation in which one party controls the White House
and another party controls one or both houses of the United States Congress
. Divided government is suggested by some to be an undesirable product of the separation of powers
in the United States' political system. Earlier in the 20th century, divided government was rare, but in the late 20th and early 21st centuries it has become increasingly common.
Some conservative and libertarian groups see divided government as beneficial, since it may encourage more policing of those in power by the opposition, as well as limiting spending and the expansion of undesirable laws.
In Parliamentary systems such as the United Kingdom
, the executive relies on Parliamentary support for its existence. In the United States, however, the constitution is designed to create conflict between the executive and legislative branches of government.
Despite the perceived problems of divided government, the President and Congress are often able, out of necessity, to establish an effective working relationship.
D denotes the Democratic Party
and R denotes the Republican Party
.
*Democrats control the Senate for only 17 days in January, since Al Gore was still Vice President and President of the Senate. But the Republicans won control the chamber with the tie-breaking vote of the new Vice President Richard B. Cheney on January 20. The small Republican Majority would only last until May 24, 2001 when Republican Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont left the Republican Party and became an Independent who chose to caucus with the Democrats.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, divided government describes a situation in which one party controls the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and another party controls one or both houses of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. Divided government is suggested by some to be an undesirable product of the separation of powers
Separation of powers
The separation of powers, often imprecisely used interchangeably with the trias politica principle, is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic...
in the United States' political system. Earlier in the 20th century, divided government was rare, but in the late 20th and early 21st centuries it has become increasingly common.
Some conservative and libertarian groups see divided government as beneficial, since it may encourage more policing of those in power by the opposition, as well as limiting spending and the expansion of undesirable laws.
In Parliamentary systems such as the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the executive relies on Parliamentary support for its existence. In the United States, however, the constitution is designed to create conflict between the executive and legislative branches of government.
Despite the perceived problems of divided government, the President and Congress are often able, out of necessity, to establish an effective working relationship.
Unified and Divided Party Control of the U.S. Government since 1901
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and R denotes the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
| Year | President | Senate | House |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901–1903 | R | R | R |
| 1903–1905 | R | R | R |
| 1905–1907 | R | R | R |
| 1907–1909 | R | R | R |
| 1909–1911 | R | R | R |
| 1911-1913 | R | R | D |
| 1913–1915 | D | D | D |
| 1915–1917 | D | D | D |
| 1917–1919 | D | D | D |
| 1919-1921 | D | R | R |
| 1921–1923 | R | R | R |
| 1923–1925 | R | R | R |
| 1925–1927 | R | R | R |
| 1927–1929 | R | R | R |
| 1929–1931 | R | R | R |
| 1931-1933 | R | R | D |
| 1933–1935 | D | D | D |
| 1935–1937 | D | D | D |
| 1937–1939 | D | D | D |
| 1939–1941 | D | D | D |
| 1941–1943 | D | D | D |
| 1943–1945 | D | D | D |
| 1945–1947 | D | D | D |
| 1947-1949 | D | R | R |
| 1949–1951 | D | D | D |
| 1951–1953 | D | D | D |
| 1953–1955 | R | R | R |
| 1955-1957 | R | D | D |
| 1957-1959 | R | D | D |
| 1959-1961 | R | D | D |
| 1961–1963 | D | D | D |
| 1963–1965 | D | D | D |
| 1965–1967 | D | D | D |
| 1967–1969 | D | D | D |
| 1969-1971 | R | D | D |
| 1971-1973 | R | D | D |
| 1973-1975 | R | D | D |
| 1975-1977 | R | D | D |
| 1977–1979 | D | D | D |
| 1979–1981 | D | D | D |
| 1981-1983 | R | R | D |
| 1983-1985 | R | R | D |
| 1985-1987 | R | R | D |
| 1987-1989 | R | D | D |
| 1989-1991 | R | D | D |
| 1991-1993 | R | D | D |
| 1993–1995 | D | D | D |
| 1995-1997 | D | R | R |
| 1997-1999 | D | R | R |
| 1999-2001 | D | R | R |
| 2001-2003 | R | D* | R |
| 2003–2005 | R | R | R |
| 2005–2007 | R | R | R |
| 2007-2009 | R | D | D |
| 2009–2011 | D | D | D |
| 2011-2013 | D | D | R |
*Democrats control the Senate for only 17 days in January, since Al Gore was still Vice President and President of the Senate. But the Republicans won control the chamber with the tie-breaking vote of the new Vice President Richard B. Cheney on January 20. The small Republican Majority would only last until May 24, 2001 when Republican Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont left the Republican Party and became an Independent who chose to caucus with the Democrats.
Further reading
- Morris Fiorina, Divided Government, 1996.
- David R. Mayhew, Divided We Govern, 1991.