By Mekki Elmograbi

The difference between a one-party system and a two-party system is like the difference between a pocketknife and scissors.

The best example of authoritarian or one-party system is China, not Russia, because Putin’s government could be a rich autocratic oligarchy rather than an authoritarian regime. Although the US is a multi-party system, it is in reality a two-party state.

Still authoritarianism! Yes, it is true that the freedom to choose a candidate is guaranteed to American citizens, but the freedom of candidacy is – in practice – subject to the heavily manipulated and dominated two-party system due to the extremely expensive financing that is an undeclared condition to practice politics and elections successfully in America. This is because capital and the lobbies work through the system which offers the American voters only two options: either social conservatism plus economic liberation, or social liberation plus controlled economy, and the voter must take the good with the bad, or leave them all. Unfortunately, the remaining election issues are turning into an area of local conflict or external trade-offs with allies and enemies.

The American two-party system uses political and media showmanship as a means to present monopoly under the guise of pluralism, but ultimately gives citizens one choice, for example, between supporting guns or supporting abortion, at least siding with the people who support one of them. In other words, to be tolerant of killing children in schools or killing children in the womb, otherwise you are out of the political game.

Let’s give an example.  A steak restaurant offers you a choice of two delicious sauces: mashed wild peaches with garlic and parsley, or Moroccan plums with onions and turmeric. You may be surprised by the diversity of ingredients, but in reality, it gives you the choice between one sauce and another and not between the amazing ingredients that surprised you.

In America, you have the freedom to choose the final product, not the components.

Propaganda, media, and advertisements make you enjoy watching endless ingredients that end up in the two recipes, and polls change some of the secondary ingredients in the kitchen. That makes no difference. Every four years, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, American citizens affirm their submission and compliance with the authoritarian two-party system and choose ‘one recipe’. Is it different in midterm elections? No! Is it different in state legislatures? Governor elections? No!

So, America is an authoritarian country, but still smart and beautiful.

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Mekki Elmograbi is a Sudanese press writer and former diplomat. He served as a media consultant for Sudan’s embassy in Washington D.C.. Mekki is the chairman of Mekki Center which sponsors Red Sea Review and the White Nile Economist. He also a member of  several African networks. He is currently based in Cairo and  be reached via email at elmograbi@gmail.com

He is available for  Skype interview here https://join.skype.com/invite/EXSz45zBgulB