Is political polarization worse than it's been in the past?

Short answer: Yes, by most measures — especially in the U.S.

The research is fairly consistent: polarization today, particularly in the United States, is higher than it's been in decades, though the picture is more nuanced than a simple "worst ever."

Elite/congressional polarization is at a modern high

On average, Democrats and Republicans are farther apart ideologically today than at any time in the past 50 years, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. This is driven by both parties growing more ideologically cohesive, with now only about two dozen moderate Democrats and Republicans left on Capitol Hill, versus more than 160 in 1971-72. Notably, polarization among U.S. legislators is asymmetric, as it has primarily been driven by a rightward shift among Republicans in Congress.

Public "affective" polarization (dislike of the other side) has grown sharply

This is where the data is most striking. In 1978, the average American rated members of their own political party 27 points higher than members of the other major party; by 2016, that gap had grown to 45.9 points. More recently, Pew Research Center polling found that in 2022, 72% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats viewed the opposing party as more immoral than other Americans—up dramatically from 47% and 35% in 2016.

A 2024 study using ANES data going back to 1988 found that divisions within the US population on social and political issues have increased by 64% since 1988, with almost all this coming after 2008. Interestingly, researchers found polarisation almost flatlined during the nineties and noughties, then starting in 2008 — the year of the financial crisis, Obama taking office, and the launch of Apple's App Store and iPhone 3G — divisions across the board steadily rose.

The U.S. is an outlier globally

This isn't a universal global trend. A multi-country study found political polarization among Americans has grown rapidly in the last 40 years — more than in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia or Germany, and researchers concluded "A lot of analysis on polarization is focused on the U.S.... We found that the trend in the U.S. is indeed exceptional." Similarly, unlike in the US, researchers found no clear evidence that opinion polarisation is increasing on a global scale.

Important caveats and nuance

A few things complicate the "worse than ever" narrative:

Historical perspective matters too

It's worth noting that polarization isn't new to American history — the country has seen intense political division before (e.g., the Civil War era), and some long-run indices show earlier peaks. For instance, one global tracking index noted the highest levels of political tension in the 1940s... The historical maximum for the entire period since 1900 was recorded in 1946, though that's a global rather than U.S.-specific measure.

Bottom line

By virtually every measure of the post-WWII/modern era — partisan antipathy, ideological distance in Congress, and self-identified ideological extremity — polarization today is higher than at any point in the last 50+ years, and the pace of increase in the U.S. is unusual compared to other democracies. However, scholars caution that this rise reflects more about party sorting and mutual distrust than necessarily a widening of Americans' actual policy views, and the U.S. has experienced severe political division before (most notably around the Civil War), so "worst ever" claims should be made carefully depending on what exactly is being measured.