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

Whether political polarization is "worse" today than in the past depends on how you measure it and which historical era you compare it to.

Political scientists and historians generally agree that political polarization is worse today than at any point in modern history (the last 50 to 80 years). However, looking at the entire arc of American history, the country has survived eras of equal or greater division—most notably the Civil War.

To understand how today’s divisions compare to the past, it is helpful to look at the data through two lenses: ideological polarization (how far apart the parties are on policy) and affective polarization (how much the parties actively dislike and distrust each other).

1. Ideological Polarization: Back to Gilded Age and Reconstruction Levels

To measure ideological polarization in government, political scientists use roll-call voting records (such as the "NOMINATE" scoring system) to track how often politicians vote along party lines.

2. Affective Polarization: A Record High for Distrust

While ideological debates have always existed, what makes today’s polarization feel uniquely intense is affective polarization—the psychological and emotional animosity between everyday voters.

According to data from the Pew Research Center, the level of mutual hostility has skyrocketed:

3. Comparing Today to Previous "Polarized" Eras

The Mid-20th Century (1950s–1970s): The Anomaly

Many people look back at the mid-20th century as the "normal" state of American politics, characterized by bipartisanship and compromise. However, historians point out that this era was actually a historical anomaly.

During this time, the parties were not cleanly sorted. The Democratic Party contained both ultra-conservative Southern Democrats and highly progressive Northern liberals. The Republican Party had both conservative Westerners and moderate-to-liberal Northeasterners. Because both parties were "big tents," politicians had to build cross-party coalitions to pass legislation.

The 1960s: Social Unrest vs. Party Polarization

The late 1960s were marked by massive social upheaval—civil rights protests, the anti-Vietnam War movement, riots, and political assassinations.

While society was highly fractured, political party polarization was actually lower than it is today. Legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed with strong bipartisan support, and voters did not yet view the two major parties as two entirely different, hostile "tribes."

Why Today’s Polarization Feels Uniquely Dangerous

While the U.S. has been deeply divided before, today's polarization has several unique structural drivers that make it particularly difficult to resolve:

Summary

If the baseline is the Civil War, political polarization is not as bad as it has been in the past. However, if the baseline is the last century of American history, the country is currently experiencing its deepest, most hostile, and most rigid political divide in living memory.