The Artificial Nature of U.S. Political Division

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This article was originally written in November of 2024.

Political division is among the most common phrases used to describe modern American politics, as many today claim that America is more divided than ever (Hobbs 2024, 1). However, this belief couldn’t be further from the truth.  To begin our exploration into the artificiality of political division in the U.S., I believe it is important to ponder a simple yet important question: who runs the U.S.?  People commonly come to a pessimistic conclusion that the elites run the U.S. or an optimistic conclusion that the people run the U.S. However, the latter conclusion serves as a window into artificial divisions, masking the answer's reality.

To answer this question, it is necessary to explore commonly reached conclusions. First, we have what I will call Conclusion A, that the elites run the U.S. This conclusion is ironically common among two seemingly opposite groups: left-wing Democrats and working-class Republicans. The difference between these two groups becomes clear when asked: Who are the elites? Presented with this question, left-wing Democrats tend to state that the rich are the elites, while some Republicans argue that secret groups/societies are the elites (Sanders 2020, 1; Roose 2021, 1). Second, we explore what I will refer to as Conclusion B, which is that the people run the United States. Two seemingly contradictory groups reach this optimistic conclusion: both mainstream Democrats and Republicans. However, some Democrats will claim that Republicans are restricting democracy, while Republicans will claim that Democrats are delegitimizing democracy (Granderson 2024, 1; Carlson 2020, 1). 

When examining the conclusions, we see that people holding Conclusion A (despite belonging to different political parties) are more similar to one or another than they are to those in their political party holding Conclusion B. Why is this? In a democratic nation, shouldn’t people with similar views be a part of similar parties? Isn’t that supposed to be a key part of American politics? No, the truth is, that people with similar views are strategically divided into different political parties to prevent them from having any true political power. So, who is causing this, who runs the U.S.?  The top 1% of Americans run the U.S. 

It is clear that ordinary people do not control the legislation enacted in the US. Gillens Page (2014, 575) tells us, in “Perspectives on Politics” that “the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.”  By contrast, Washington Post reporting has identified that  “91% of the time, the candidate with the most money wins the election.” That money is also rarely representative of the average person. The truth is over 40% of members of Congress received less than 5% of their donations from small donors (OpenSecrets, 2024). Problematically, this allows a rule of a minority of the rich, as they are allowed to have significant influence over elections, providing them a colossal influence over policymaking. For example, this can lead to institutions like Congress refusing to pass the most basic social services –one example being Obama Care with a public option– because of the wealthy lobbying against it (Potter 2015, 1). 

When analyzing why people with similar views are not a part of similar political parties, we look at the top 1%, what threatens them, and how they can divert a threat's attention. The answer to the first question is simple: the working class, the bottom 90%, is what threatens the rich, the top 1%. This is evident through the increasing tensions between the two as “The Top 1% of Americans Have Taken $50 Trillion From the Bottom 90%” (Hanauer 2020, 1). However, the working class becomes a threat when they have class consciousness and unity. Considering this, the top 1% diverted their threats—the working class’s—attention. For example, after seeing the Occupy Wall Street protests, which were especially concerning to them, they decided to go all out into identity politics as “they will use all means to divide the majority: the working class, on all different dividing lines that they can” (Vinberg 2020, 18). This has turned the U.S. political landscape into a debate over social policies rather than economics. Consequently, “Identity politics – or, more accurately, “identity-only politics” – also leaves oppressed groups vulnerable to divide-and-conquer tactics by the right, which further inhibit class consciousness” (Wilson 2023, 9). 

To conclude, despite the pomp and circumstance of U.S. politics, much of the political division in the U.S. is artificially manufactured by the top 1% that uses its power to exploit the working class majority. However, the U.S. does not have to be this way. Looking through a dialectical historical lens, it is clear that history is made by conflict between classes. For a broad example, the transition from feudalism to capitalism saw the feudal class face off against the top 1%. For more specific examples, welfare programs have even been made through class conflict, as presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt had to increase welfare programs and work with striking workers because of real fear that the working class, if not pacified, could rise and overthrow the top 1% to establish a more equitable –potentially socialist– state. When you feel hopeless about politics, remember the power of the working class and the inevitability of revolution.

Bibliography

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