Politics Archives

American Partisanship: A Brief History

When did political polarization start in the United States? At what point did partisan struggle start to subside? Immediately after the ratification of the United States Constitution, the American political system was characterized by intense partisan warfare between America’s two original parties—the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The partisanship subsided following the demise of the Federalist Party, only to escalate again in the 1850s. Eventually, the partisan struggles subsided and the democratic norms were restored. Here is a brief history of American partisanship.

William Easterly: The Problem With Humanitarian Aid

What are the major problems with humanitarian aid? How does bureaucracy get in the way of aid efforts? According to economist William Easterly in his book The White Man’s Burden, the bureaucracy surrounding international aid efforts is getting in the way of progress. The bureaucratic system causes a lack of accountability, coordination, and clear goals. Continue below to learn more about Easterly’s problems with humanitarian aid programs.

What Is Court-Packing? Explained With Examples

What is court-packing? What do politicians aim to achieve by increasing the number of justices in the Supreme Court? “Court-packing” is usually used to refer to changes in the size of the Supreme Court. This typically involves increasing the number of seats in the Supreme court with a view of changing its ideological makeup. Keep reading to learn about court-packing, explained with examples.

Is Donald Trump Really an Authoritarian?

Is Donald Trump an authoritarian? What signs of authoritarianism does Trump exhibit? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, Donald Trump exhibits clear authoritarian tendencies. They state that such a figure becoming the nominee of a major political party was an unprecedented development in American politics. Further, they state that GOP leaders faced a choice in the general election: to stand with Trump or to stand for democracy. In this article, we’ll take a look at what makes Donald Trump authoritarian, according to Levitsky and Ziblatt.

Human Aid Can’t Help Bad Governments

Why can’t the countries in the West impose democracy and capitalism on developing nations? Is there another way to fix bad governments? In his book The White Man’s Burden, economist William Easterly argues that the West needs to stop trying to fix bad governments. He says that imposing top-down aid is not what’s going to help struggling nations. Here’s why Easterly thinks democracy and capitalism can’t be imposed.

The Evolution of the Presidential Nomination Process

How do political parties choose their candidates for president? How has the presidential nomination process changed over the years? Before the 1970s, a candidate had to win over party insiders in the so-called “smoke-filled rooms” of party conventions and caucuses to even have a chance of winning a major-party nomination. This old party system began to change during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago when party delegates entered the convention with no clear consensus on who the nominee should be. In this article, we’ll explore the evolution of the presidential nomination process in the United States.

Why Imposed Free-Market Reforms Aren’t the Answer

Why shouldn’t the West try to impose free-market reforms on developing countries? What problems can this inflict upon the locals? Free-market capitalism can lead to economic growth, but that doesn’t mean that it should be forced upon developing nations that aren’t ready for such reform. When more developed countries try to impose their will upon other nations, it usually does more harm than good. Keep reading to learn what economist William Easterly has to say about this topic of controversy.

The 4 Characteristics of an Authoritarian Leader

What makes a leader authoritarian? What are the key characteristics that authoritarian politicians share? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, authoritarian leaders share several key characteristics. They refuse to accept the generally accepted rules of the democratic competition, they reject the legitimacy of their opponents, they don’t shy away from using violence, and they express willingness to repress civil liberties. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the basic characteristics that are shared by norm-violating, anti-democratic politicians with some examples.

Why the Bottom-Up Aid Model Is the Most Successful

Why does the bottom-up aid model work better than the top-down model when it comes to international aid? In what ways is the bottom-up aid model more effective? American economist and professor William Easterly explores the top-down and bottom-up international aid models in his book The White Man’s Burden. He comes to the conclusion that the bottom-up aid model is much more effective than the top-down model because it empowers locals and doesn’t treat them like needy children. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of bottom-up humanitarian aid.

Levitsky and Ziblatt: Is Democracy Dying in the U.S.?

Is democracy dying? Is America sliding into authoritarianism? What can be done to salvage democratic norms? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, democracy operated successfully throughout most of the 20th century, despite some challenges. But, they warn, democratic norms are under siege today and may be slipping away entirely. In this article, we’ll explore some key structural transformations in United States politics over the past few decades that are pushing democratic norms to the brink.