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Polarization and the Politics of Personal Responsibility (Hardcover)
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Polarization and the Politics of Personal Responsibility (Hardcover)
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Contemporary American politics is highly polarized, and it is
increasingly clear that this polarization exists at both the elite
and mass levels. What is less clear is the source of this
polarization. Social issues are routinely presented by some as the
driver of polarization, while others point to economic inequality
and class divisions. Still others single out divisions surrounding
race and ethnicity, or gender, or religion as the underlying source
of the deep political divide that currently exists in the United
States. All of these phenomena are undoubtedly highly relevant in
American politics, and it is also beyond question that they
represent significant cleavages within the American polity. We
argue, however, that disagreement over a much more fundamental
matter lies at the foundation of the polarization that marks
American politics in the early 21st century. That matter is
personal responsibility. Some Americans fervently believe that an
individual's lot in life is primarily if not exclusively his or her
own responsibility. Opportunity is widespread in American society,
and individuals succeed or fail based on their own talents and
efforts. Society greatly benefits from such an arrangement, and as
such government policies should support and reward individual
initiative and responsibility. Other Americans see personal
responsibility-while fine in theory-as an unjust organizing
principle for contemporary American society. For these Americans,
success or failure in life is far too often not the result of
personal effort but of large forces well beyond the control of the
individual. Opportunity is not widespread, and is by no means
equally available to all Americans. In light of these basic facts
of American life, it is the responsibility of the state to step in
and implement policies that alleviate inequality and assist those
who fail by no fault of their own. These basic differences
surrounding the idea of personal responsibility are what separate
Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, in
contemporary American politics.
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