In the USA, the voting results in most presidential elections in recent years have always been nearly equally divided between the two opposite sides. As a result, the election result is determined by a small minority of "swayable" voters.
Ideally it would seem that given the same facts, most thinking people would clearly see which candidate to vote for, with a resulting overwhelming majority decision.
Is the actuality of nearly equal division between liberals and conservatives common in other democracies? Or is this peculiar to the USA with its two-party system?
It's not a law
It's to do with the rough balance between the working classes broadly understood and those who own property on the other hand, with the 'middle classes' holding the balance of power
But this is very rough and ready,.,,,,not an analysis
There is no law. And regarding the US there are no opposites. Republicans and democrats are two variations of the same. And that is exactly the intention. Of you read liberal Democratic theory, that is what they argue for Democratic stability: two parties that do not differ too much... But reality has proven liberal Democratic theory not only wrong, but also deeply antidemocratic. Everything else is a question of class conflict, have a look at Marx, Gramsci and Poulantzas in order to understand...
@ Dario, Everything is relative, and there are degrees of qualities. In your frame of reference, which maybe is the idealistic polar opposites of pure communism and pure capitalism, you are right.
But, from around 1920 to 1970, there were big differences between liberal Democrats (supported to a large extent by labor unions) and conservative Republicans (supported by big business and other privileged citizens).
Since then both parties have shifted towards the right, but there are still important, but not sufficient, differences. Of course, within each party there is a spectrum of degrees of liberalism and and conservatism.
Now that Trump has taken office and dark money is dictating what the Republicans do, there is a stark difference between various things, that the two parties advocate, especially regarding social welfare.