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GPT-5Oct 23, 2026openai/gpt-5-2025-08-07
Is political polarization worse than it's been in the past?
Short answer: It depends what you mean by “polarization” and what era you’re comparing to.
•Among elected officials (elite/legislative polarization): In the United States, the two parties in Congress are now more ideologically separated than at any time in many decades, and by common measures are at or near the highest levels seen since the late 19th century. There’s far less overlap between the parties than in the mid‑20th century.
•Among the public on issues (mass/ideological polarization): Average voters haven’t all moved to the extremes, but they’re more “sorted” than before—Democrats and Republicans now line up more consistently liberal vs. conservative across many issues, with fewer cross‑pressured or split‑ticket voters than in the 1970s–1990s.
•In feelings and social distance (affective polarization): This has clearly increased since the late 20th century. Partisans view the opposing party more negatively, are less willing to socialize or form close ties across party lines, and are more likely to see the other side as a threat.
•Historically: The U.S. has experienced more extreme divisions at times (e.g., the Civil War and Reconstruction). But compared with most of the 20th century—especially the mid‑century “consensus” period—today’s elite polarization is unusually high, and public affective polarization is markedly higher than a few decades ago.
•Why it’s risen: Party realignment by region and race, nationalized elections, primary electorates and safe districts, media/cable/social platforms, and negative partisanship all reinforce division.
If you’re asking about a country other than the U.S., or a specific timeframe, tell me and I’ll tailor the answer (and share sources).