What Is There Ideological Polarization In The United States?

The United States of America, to many, is a shining beacon of hope and prosperity. That being said, our country obviously does not exist without ills in the system. As more political issues surface, the political system that was intended to collectively govern us has increasingly divided us instead. As a result, I fully believe that this reality – that being the increasing ideological polarization in this country – is the most compelling and consequential problem in our American political system. Political polarization is not an immature phenomenon. Back in the 19th century, America was just as divided politically, if not more so, than we are today. Back then, historical issues such as slavery divided their party lines, and since such legislation threatened everyone’s very way of living, impassioned stances were taken on such issues. People today aren’t necessary killing each other over their views, but the polarization is definitely still present and ever-growing. The Pew Research Center notes that “the share of Americans who express consistently conservative or consistently liberal opinions has doubled over the past two decades,” (Doherty). This increasing shift to one or the other side is heavily showcased in our
The Atlantic Magazine notes that over the past few decades, greater emphasis has been placed on higher education within our society. They add that “research shows that higher education has a polarizing effect on people: highly educated liberals become more liberal, while highly educated conservatives grow more conservative,” (Tuschman). This is largely due to the notion that as people become more intelligent, they become more confident with their self-worth and global awareness. As a result, they see only their views as correct, and are less open to external influence. Increasing levels of inequality in both social and economic spheres are also driving factors for this ever increasing