--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The pretense in disputed elections is…" description: "\"The pretense in disputed elections is that the great conflict is between the two major parties. The reality is that there is a much bigger conflict tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca6/howard-zinn-576_around-the-world_the-pretense-in-disputed-elections-is-th_1877033.jpg" --- # The pretense in disputed elections is that the great… ![“The pretense in disputed elections is that the great conflict is between the two major parties. The reality is that there is a much bigger conflict that the two parties jointly wage against large numbers of Americans who are represented by neither party and against powerless millions around the…” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca6/howard-zinn-576_around-the-world_the-pretense-in-disputed-elections-is-th_1877033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca6/howard-zinn-576_around-the-world_the-pretense-in-disputed-elections-is-th_1877033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca6/howard-zinn-576_around-the-world_the-pretense-in-disputed-elections-is-th_1877033.jpg) > “The pretense in disputed elections is that the great conflict is between the two major parties. The reality is that there is a much bigger conflict that the two parties jointly wage against large numbers of Americans who are represented by neither party and against powerless millions around the world." (p. 65)” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The real political struggle is not between the two major parties but between those parties and the large, unrepresented masses. **In simple terms:** Power lies with the people, not the parties. Key Takeaway Recognize and empower the unrepresented. Themes politics power representation inequality social justice Mood critical hopeful Type analytical political When to use this quote - grassroots organizing - policy advocacy - community building - voter education Key Concepts democracy elite control mass movements Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens bypass party structures? - What alternatives exist to party politics? A Different Perspective The parties can co-opt popular movements, limiting change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Powerless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerless/) [Pretense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretense/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Now we have a whole series of problems - energy, environment, proliferation - which go beyond the nation. And we also know that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/now-we-have-a-whole-series-of-problems-energy-environment/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [I think all the roles I've played really center around either the great conflict or how the great conflict affects the people that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/i-think-all-the-roles-i-ve-played-really-center-around-either-the/) [Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/) > [Keeping your family together is an extraordinary feat - especially in the face of great conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-franklin/keeping-your-family-together-is-an-extraordinary-feat-especially-in/) [DeVon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-franklin/) > [Passions are generally roused from great conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/passions-are-generally-roused-from-great-conflict/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [The romance that can never really gel because of the powers that be... that's a great conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nutter/the-romance-that-can-never-really-gel-because-of-the-powers-that-be/) [David Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nutter/) > [The system has evolved to protect parties from people like Donald Trump. 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I don't think the Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-united-states-survives-so-long-as-at-least-one-of-its-major-2/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [ She \[Hillary Clinton\] says I know that this is the first time that one of our two major parties has ever nominated a woman,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-keith/she-hillary-clinton-says-i-know-that-this-is-the-first-time-that-one/) [Tamara Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-keith/) > [the two major parties too often present us with a choice of the evil of two lessers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-ireland/the-two-major-parties-too-often-present-us-with-a-choice-of-the-evil/) [Patricia Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-ireland/) > [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. 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