EVOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM SINCE THE WAR Li Cunxun (84) Since the Second World War, the Presidency has become the dominant government branch; under judicial activism, the Supreme Court is playing an increasingly important role in dealing with the major problems of the country; Congress has been further democratized; and in contrast to the decline of political parties, interest groups have become an important part of the policy process. These are some of the most significant political developments since the war that are discussed in this paper.