Unstable Majorities

Published: October 19, 2018

Political pundits make it seem like our country is more polarized than it has been since the Civil War, but they’re wrong. The American public does not look much different today than it did in the 1970s. Instead, what has happened is that the political class – pundits, policymakers, and donors – has become more polarized. Along with ideological sorting by political parties, this change has made American politics seem more volatile than it actually is.

Discussion Questions

1. Can the U.S. move towards a multi-party system?
2. Are there any positives associated with party sorting?
3. How can we mitigate polarization in politics?

Additional Resources

• Read “Unstable Majorities: Polarization, Party Sorting, and Political Stalemate by Morris Fiorina,” available here.
• Read “An Era of Tenuous Majorities” by Morris P. Fiorina, available here. 
• Read "Has The American Public Polarized?" by Morris P. Fiorina, available here. 
• Read “The Political Parties Have Sorted by Morris Fiorina,” available here.
• Read “Party Sorting and Democratic Politics” by Morris Fiorina, available here. 
• Read “The Temptation To Overreach” by Morris P. Fiorina, available here.