Why We're Polarized

While Klein focuses on the US, political polarization has taken root in other democracies, and this trend informs his book’s premise. In Europe, the rise of right-wing populism has been notable in the 21st century. Like in the US, predominantly homogeneous coalitions of white European voters have mobilized in response to perceived demographic threats, such as the arrival of refugees from Syria since 2011. Prior to that, there existed a backlash about Muslim immigration and concerns that Muslims could wield significant voting power over a secularized Europe.

In Western Europe, with long-established democracies, nations have weathered this trend. For example, in France, the National Front competed for the presidency but did not win, nor did it win a majority in the legislature. That party, led by Marine Le Pen, is anti-immigrant, and its past leader made antisemitic statements. In the United Kingdom, the Conservative Party, led by Boris Johnson, channeled fears of demographic changes into a successful campaign to leave the European Union (EU), known as Brexit. The EU allows citizens of any country to live and work in another. The admission of several Eastern European countries to the EU caused angst in the United Kingdom due to fear of the impact of permissive immigration policies in some member states. Exit polls for Brexit indicated support among older voters and white voters and opposition from the young and people in minority groups. However, the United Kingdom has negotiated Brexit. Johnson is no longer the prime minister, and the Conservative Party has steered away from nominating demagogues.

In Eastern Europe, where democracies are newer and more fragile, the threat of right-wing populism to democracy has been more severe. For a time, Poland was run by the Law and Justice Party, which attempted to undermine judicial independence and resisted checks and balances. The party’s support of an abortion ban led to a defeat at the hands of opposition parties in 2023. In Hungary, however, Victor Orban has established an electoral autocracy. Judicial independence, freedom of the press, and the LGBTQ+ community have all been under attack. Klein fears a similar fate for the US unless reforms are instituted.