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

Short answer for the United States: yes—on several key measures, polarization today (as of 2026) is as high as, or higher than, any time in the modern record. But it depends which kind you mean.

•Among elected officials (elite/ideological polarization): The ideological distance between the average Democrat and the average Republican in Congress has risen steadily since the 1970s and is now at or near the highest levels observed in DW-NOMINATE data going back to the late 19th century. That reflects fewer moderates and more party‑line voting.[1]

•Among the public on feelings (affective polarization): Since the late 1970s, Americans have grown markedly colder toward the opposing party even if their specific issue views haven’t all moved to extremes. Feeling-thermometer gaps between in‑party and out‑party ratings widened through the 2010s and remained elevated in 2024 ANES data.[2]

•Public mood and partisan hostility: Surveys in 2023 found broad negativity about politics and rising partisan antipathy; many Americans cite polarization itself as a major problem.[3]

•Identities and sorting: Partisanship aligns more tightly with ideology and social identities than a few decades ago. For example, in 2024 record shares of Republicans identified as conservative and Democrats as liberal, signaling stronger ideological sorting even if not everyone has moved to extremes on every issue.[4]

What this means in practice: elections and governing are more “nationalized” (more straight‑ticket voting, less room for cross‑party coalitions), while ordinary Americans increasingly distrust and dislike the other side—even when they’re not deeply policy‑extreme themselves.[2]

If you’re curious about a country other than the U.S., or about specific dimensions (elites vs. voters, ideology vs. emotions, Congress vs. states), tell me which scope you want and I can tailor the answer.

Citations (4)

1voteview.comAcademic
Voteview | Polarization in Congress
Backs: “The ideological distance between the average Democrat and the average Republican in Congress has risen steadily since the 1970s and is now at or near the highest levels observed in DW-NOMINATE data going back to the late 19th century. That reflects fewer moderates and more party‑line voting.”
2wpmucdn.comNot yet classified
The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States
Backs: “Feeling-thermometer gaps between in‑party and out‑party ratings widened through the 2010s and remained elevated in 2024 ANES data.”
3pewresearch.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Highly Negative Views of American Politics in 2023 | Pew Research Center
Backs: “Surveys in 2023 found broad negativity about politics and rising partisan antipathy; many Americans cite polarization itself as a major problem.”
4gallup.comCompanies
U.S. Political Parties Historically Polarized Ideologically
Backs: “For example, in 2024 record shares of Republicans identified as conservative and Democrats as liberal, signaling stronger ideological sorting even if not everyone has moved to extremes on every issue.”