Abstract
Political polarization and its antecedents are Ezra Klein's focus in his timely and poignant book, “Why We're Polarized.” Charting political developments over the last few decades, the book offers interesting insights into how American politics has reached the crucible it currently finds itself in.
Political scholars and pundits alike have expressed concerns regarding the growing polarization of American politics for years. The 2016 and 2020 United States Presidential elections are clear illustrations of this divisiveness, as they were marred by a variety of accusations emanating from both sides of the political aisle; from allegations of Russian interference in 2016 to claims of voter fraud and a stolen election in 2020. Entrenched Democrats and Republicans drew clear battle lines. This division reached a boiling point in January 2021 when Americans witnessed an insurrection on the United States Capitol building unfold on live television.
The insurrection wasn’t simply a random occurrence, or a one-off event instigated by a group of disgruntled voters. The insurrection was largely representative of a spreading undercurrent of discontent that grew increasingly pervasive throughout the nation. According to recent data from Pew Research Center, today's Democrats and Republicans are farther apart ideologically than at any time in the past 50 years. This political unrest leaves many of us to wonder: how did we get here?
The book presents a comprehensive analysis of polarization and the various antecedents that fanned its flames, most notably highlighting the role of partisan media outlets and social identities. Coupling a detailed history of the American politics of the last half a century with a discussion of the intricacies of modern partisan identities, Klein traces how polarization originated as a small spark that has since transformed into a forest fire engulfing the electorate.
As Klein argues, the passage of the Civil Rights Act ushered in a new era of political sorting, with clear boundaries drawn between Democrats and Republicans and the demise of what many call the Dixiecrat party. Following the passage of this seminal legislation, for perhaps the first time in American history, the labels “Democrat” and “Republican” carried significant and meaningful attributes corresponding to one's identity and value system. This has become increasingly true when one considers contemporary American politics. Today, one's partisan identity dictates much about their nature. Drawing on similar empirical research, Klein argues that one's partisan identity often is congruous with social class, race, religion, and even dietary preferences. Not only are we more polarized in the identities we associate with ourselves, but these identities make statements about us - who we are, what we believe, and what we stand for.
Interestingly, Klein argues that contemporary politics is not more polarized than before, but rather, our partisan identities are more reinforced by political institutions and the media than ever before. Describing the role of intersectional identities, Klein articulates how our mega-identities – which are an amalgamation of our class, racial, geographic, and religious identities – often feel threatened by contemporary national politics. We become ever more polarized because we feel increasingly drawn to protect these identities when we feel that they have come under threat. Echoing existing work regarding the impact of social identity on partisanship (i.e., Mason, 2018; Tripodi, 2018), Klein argues that the changing demographic makeup of America has exacerbated this polarization. As a result of greater diversification, immigration, and globalization, Klein argues that traditionalist, white, Christian identities have been threatened and, ultimately, vilified. This has fostered a deep seeded resentment that resonates with Americans throughout the nation. Furthermore, these roots culminated in Donald Trump's unlikely political career, which has undeniably shaped the future of American politics for generations to come.
Klein makes clear his stance: he does not necessarily believe that polarization is negative - in fact, he argues that the opposite of polarization is suppression. It is good for Americans to feel passionate about their politics. But at some point, as perhaps we find ourselves now, this polarization does more to drive us apart rather than emphasize our goals. Klein is clear in his indictment of who is largely to blame for this inflammation, citing a polarization feedback loop where political pundits, politicians, and the American news media feed into an already polarized public, yearning to be seen and heard.
To this end, one shortcoming of the book can be seen in Klein's rather cursory discussion of the role of the media in the creation of these identities. As the co-founder and former editor-at-large of Vox, Klein is no stranger to the 24-h news cycle and the sensationalism that has transformed the modern media sphere. To this point, Klein is indeed critical of the role of a polarized media in feeding into a polarized electorate, thereby fostering a vicious, unrelenting feedback loop. However, Klein's argument could have been strengthened by a more refined description of the role of these media outlets in the creation of partisan identity and meaning. How does the media foster the notion of what it means to be liberal? Conservative? A Republican? A Democrat? How does this differ betwixt the outlets Americans are tuning in to? Is it just the news media to blame, or does contemporary culture writ large also have a role in meaning creation?
In light of another election cycle in 2024, Klein's book offers a useful analysis of how we arrived at the current crucible we find ourselves in. Detailed, accessible, and backed by empirical literature, a wide range of both scholars and students will find this book interesting and informative in furthering our understanding of the question: how did we get here?
