Martin Van Buren Created America's Partisan Political System. We're Still Recovering
Briefly

Van Buren wished to unite citizens through 'party principle,' rather than 'personal preference,' lamenting the shift towards personality-driven politics in his time.
Despite adversity as a self-made lawyer with no military background, Van Buren rose to power as president, inventing the party system that still shapes U.S. politics.
'He built and designed the party system that defined how politics was practiced and power wielded in the United States,' exemplifying his influential role.
Originally, leaders expected parties to dissolve after securing the Republic, but Van Buren's vision established them as a permanent fixture in American political life.
Read at Smithsonian Magazine
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