Forget the Good of the Game

Political Incivility and Lack of Compromise as a Second Layer of Party Polarization

Bibliographic Data

ID5048262
AuthorsMichael R Wolf (Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, USA), Jayne Cherie Strachan (Central Michigan University), Daniel M Shea (Colby College, Waterville, ME, USA)
Year2012
Volume56
Issue12
Pages1677-1695
Publication date2012-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Behavioral Scientist (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-7642 • E-ISSN: 1552-3381
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0002764212463355
OpenAlexW2000303935
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited23

The growing literature on American party polarization has focused on growing differences in partisan vote outcomes, political values, and policy position. We argue that a second layer of party polarization has developed that goes far beyond simply issue and ideological differences. A growing unwillingness to want politicians to compromise with the other side and a determination to blame growing political incivility solely on the other party characterizes this additional division. This second layer is important to gauge because an electorate with a significant portion of voters deeply separated on policy questions but open to compromise is appreciably different from an electorate deeply divided on policy and unwilling to budge based on policy and emotion. Our findings show that a solid percentage of the electorate holds strong partisan preferences and wants their party leaders to stand firm on principle rather than compromise with the other side. Furthermore, this strong partisan mood is not simply driven by the particular conditions of the 2010 midterm election, such as the Tea Party or in particular regions. Rather, this stark divisive partisan atmosphere existed generally and was not concentrated in electorally competitive areas

Blame · Compromise · Economics · Ideology · Law and economics · Polarization (electrochemistry) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Tea party · Voting · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology