Book SummaryWhy We're Polarized, by Ezra Klein

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Why We're Polarized

In Why We’re Polarized, American progressive journalist, political commentator, and podcaster Ezra Klein argues that Americans are divided into two sharply contrasting groups rooted in partisan identities.

He writes that the clustering of nearly the entire electorate into the Democratic and Republican camps is not a story about routine political disagreements—like how high the top marginal income tax rate should be or what percentage of GDP the federal budget should be.

Instead, it’s a story about identity. Specifically, writes Klein, our partisan political identities have become overarching super-identities that encompass and activate our most deeply felt personal, religious, linguistic, socioeconomic, and ethnic/racial identities.

In America, observes Klein, these underlying lines of division all come together in one main division—between Democrats and Republicans—that makes bipartisan cooperation increasingly difficult.

In this guide, we’ll explore Klein’s central argument by examining:

• The origins of modern political polarization in the politics of the mid-20th century
• How polarization has made American politics a winner-take-all struggle that...

Why We're Polarized Summary Part 1: The Roots of Modern Polarization

To understand the polarized political landscape we inhabit today, it’s important to understand how we got here. Was American politics always like this? Did politicians always seek to stir up partisan fervor among their supporters by antagonizing the other side? According to Klein, the answer is “no.” He writes that the story of modern polarization is rooted in cleavages in the political system that began in the 1950s and 1960s, during the civil rights era.

Mid-20th Century Politics: Light on Partisanship

Klein writes that in the mid-20th century, the two major parties were less polarized because their underlying coalitions were far more heterogeneous than they are today. For example, there were lots of liberal Republicans in New England, while conservative white Southerners (“Dixiecrats”) were the backbone of the Democratic Party. The two parties were loose coalitions. This stands in stark contrast to the parties of today, both of which are tightly ideologically disciplined, with little ideological crossover between them.

Because of the less cohesive nature of the two parties, there was lots of cross-partisan political behavior: Major pieces of legislation passed with...

Why We're Polarized Summary Part 2: The Dynamics of Polarization

Having traced the origins of American political polarization, we can explore how it functions in contemporary politics. According to Klein, polarization creates a set of dynamics in American politics that make it a winner-take-all contest between the two parties. The dynamics of polarization, he writes, create a positive feedback loop: Partisan voters feel increasingly hostile toward one another and reward politicians who deliberately antagonize the other side, driving further rounds of polarization.

In this section, we’ll explore the underlying mechanics of this dynamic, looking at how identities trump issues in American politics, why our partisanship is driven primarily by negativity, and how these factors give politicians an incentive to stoke further division.

Identities Over Issues

Klein observes that our partisan differences stem less from disagreements about what we believe than about who we are and who we believe our opponents to be. In other words, identities, not issues, are what drive our political behavior.

He writes that our disagreements run far deeper than straightforward economic questions like, “Will this bill help improve the roads in...

Why We're Polarized Summary Part 3: Polarization Has Affected the Two Major Parties Differently

Klein writes that while polarization has affected the composition and electoral strategies of both major parties, its effects have not been equal—instead, he observes, the Republican Party has been far more deeply distorted by polarization than the Democratic Party.

The Diversity of the Democratic Party

Klein argues that the Democratic Party has been less vulnerable to polarization because of its diverse makeup. Democrats, he writes, are a broad coalition of different racial, religious, and other demographic groups. Within those demographic groups, there’s also lots of ideological diversity. For example, although they remain staunchly Democratic, lots of Black and Latino voters have socially conservative views, particularly on issues related to gender and sexual orientation.

The diverse composition of the party’s base acts as a moderating influence and a check on polarization: Candidates need to win over a broad demographic and ideological coalition to be nominated, and they need to compromise once they’re in office. Left-wing activists, argues Klein, do not control the Democratic Party or set its agenda—rather, they are one constituency among many that...

Why We're Polarized Summary Part 4: Responding to Polarization

After exploring the history and roots of polarization and its different impact on the two major political parties, Klein suggests ways to reduce polarization’s impact. In this last section, we’ll explore his ideas for how certain institutional reforms can reduce the impact and incentives for polarization, as well as how individuals can resist the pull of divisive identity-based political appeals.

Reduce Polarization Through Electoral Reforms

Klein recommends a set of reforms to American political institutions that he argues will reduce politicians’ incentives to stoke division and resentment by forcing them to compete on a more level playing field. Three reforms Klein proposes to break up this push toward ever-greater polarization are:

• Replacing the Electoral College with a direct popular vote for the presidency
• Creating multi-member districts
• Changing the rules of the US Senate to eliminate the filibuster

Institutional Reform #1: Replace the Electoral College

Klein proposes replacing the Electoral College with a direct popular election for the presidency.

According to Klein, the mechanics of the Electoral College create a built-in advantage for...

Shortform Exercise: Overcome Polarization

Klein writes that to overcome polarization, you first have to recognize how politicians are crafting their appeals to activate some part of your identity and get you outraged at some perceived group of “others.”

Have you ever been confronted by a political message that you felt was targeted toward you because you belonged to some particular identity group? Describe the emotions it evoked.