itical freedom, the organization of
the electorate into regular and permanent parties is necessary.
Parliamentary government has attained its highest success only in
those countries where political power is held alternately by two
great national parties. As soon as factional interests become
predominant; as soon as the stability of government depends upon
the artificial grouping of minor conflicting interests; as soon as
the nation lacks the tonic effect of the mutual criticisms of great
organizations, the highest form of free government becomes
unattainable. (pp. 327, 328.)

The greatest strain on the Constitution will probably be felt at the
outset. Both people and politicians are suddenly called upon to rise to
a higher plane of political thought and action. The idea that each State
is to send representatives to fight for its own interests must first be
got rid of. The only way in which all interests can be reconciled is by
each State acting through the national parties. The greatest danger
which assails the Commonwealth is the risk of combinations of States
dominating party lines; and it is the more imminent that divergent
opinions between the larger and the smaller States were already apparent
at the Convention. The four smaller States, Western Australia, South
Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, with about one-third of the
population, will have two-thirds of the representation in the Senate;
while the two large States, Victoria and New South Wales, will have
about two-thirds of the representation in the House of Representatives.
At the Convention the fear was expressed that the former, representing a
majority of the States, and the latter, representing a majority of the
people, might come into conflict, and that a deadlock would ensue. It
was on this issue that the great struggle at the Convention took place,
resulting in the adoption of a double dissolution and a subsequent joint
sitting of the two Houses if necessary. By this machinery all disputes
will be finally settled. But what will happen if some of the States
consider themselves unjustly treated? Even apart from conflicts between
the two Houses, if only one State stood aloof from the main parties it
could paralyze government, just as Ireland did in the Imperial
Parliament. It is evident, then, that the very existence of the Union is
bound up in the immediate formation of national parties.

In the United States