Geographical Regularities of Political and Electoral Systems of the USA
The reflection of geographical factors in the formation and functioning of federal system, territorial representation, party and electoral systems of the United States are observed. Evidences indicating the important role of geographic features in the country’s political system are found. Particular attention of American establishment to geographical regularities of organizing political life is traced. The value of the federal system as a key element of the spatial organization of a democratic form of government in the United States is explored. Reflection of geographic differences in functioning of the electoral system is found. The importance of the Electoral College as an institution aimed at achieving greater territorial cohesion of the state is investigated. The role of majority voting in single-mandate constituencies as an element of territorial representation is analyzed. Special attention is paid to geographical principles in formation of administrative division of the country. The interrelation of the organization of territorial representation in the United States and the formation of a two-party political system is investigated. The territorial features of parties functioning and regional factors of intraparty differentiation of political views are characterized. It is concluded that there is a deep integration of elements of geographical knowledge and approaches of geographical science into political and electoral systems of the United States. The importance of these elements as factors of the territorial stability of the U.S. political model is stated.