It is never out of bounds to ask the question, what is the
role of government in American society? With political and social institutions
no longer functioning properly, the question now becomes an imperative.
The time honored conservative-liberal divide on the role of
government is fondly remembered by the last generation of more moderate elected
officials. Conservatives traditionally wanted a government with a smaller
footprint that gave market forces and individual liberties as much free rein as
possible. Liberals, on the other hand, viewed government as the vehicle to
regulate markets and individual excesses to guarantee more equality in
society. When the American experiment
was working properly, the pendulum of our two party system moved back and forth
between these dual principles, usually with a degree of bipartisan compromise
and no clear winner.
The ideological battles of the past few decades have dramatically
changed the classical conservative/liberal conflict into something very
different. Size and intervention of government have taken a back seat to
tribalism, a term best defined as the tendency to connect one’s identity to
one’s politics.
These hardened ethnic and ideological identities attached to
our two political parties obscure the traditional views toward government. For
example, a Republican Trump supporter may insist on less government involvement
on issues like health insurance, public health protections, the minimum wage
and gun control while seeking more governmental regulation of immigrants,
women’s reproductive rights, LBGTQA+ rights, access to voting and public school
curriculum.
The culture wars, religion and race now matter more than the
size of government in setting positions within our tribal politics. The tribes do not just disagree on policy and
politics — they see the other as alien, immoral, a threat. Profound polarization (members of Congress
refuse to speak to members of the other party) has made it impossible to pass
legislation important to the country.
Not even a global pandemic of epic proportions has subdued the mean
spirited nature of our sectarian political system.
The question now becomes, what is the role of government
when democratic institutions are unable to achieve their stated purpose of deliberating
over policy choices and passing legislation for the betterment of its citizens?
The logical answer is to take a pause from unproductive law making and work
tirelessly to overcome the impenetrable conflict that stands in the way.
There is no evidence that sectarian tribalism will disappear
on its own. Democrats are deluding themselves if they think that reversing the
directives of the Trump administration or doing away with the Senate filibuster
will usher in a new political age to match the FDR “New Deal” or the LBJ “Great
Society.” The next election could easily erase all of their efforts.
A short essay that appeared in the recent print addition of
Foreign Affairs focuses on ways in which America could defeat tribalism (How to
Overcome Tribalism, Rueben E. Brigety II, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2021).
Mr. Brigety, an academic and former U.S. Ambassador to the African Union has
studied how other modern societies have lessened their destructive factional
divides. He concludes that the central benchmark is “whether citizens of
diverse backgrounds can use reason and argument to transcend foundational
identities and work together toward a common good.”
Political will and leadership are important. Mr. Brigety points to South Africa and
Northern Ireland to support his thesis. In the first example, Nelson Mandela
and then President of the South African apartheid party, F.W. de Klerk, worked
together toward the nonviolent goal of dismantling apartheid. In the second
case, Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams and the Unionist, Davis Trimble bridged a
century of violent differences to bring a negotiated peace to Northern Ireland.
Similar victories against tribalism have been won in Africa by dedicated leadership.
Civic engagement must play an important role in defeating
tribalism. I have previously discussed a
detailed report on how to repair democracy in America, published by the
American Academy of Arts & Sciences, as an important baseline tool in overcoming
tribalism. (Observer Reporter OP-ED page, December 23, 2020). Mr. Brigety
points to another organization, the national Millions of Conversations civic campaign which seeks to foster open
dialogue across party lines and social divisions. Other efforts in communities
across the country sponsored by houses of worship, local community groups and
local governments are needed to fight back against tribalism.
The Brigety essay identifies three specific policies that
would have a profound effect on dismantling American tribalism. First, “a full accounting of the country’s
racial history coupled with focused attention on socioeconomic inequalities
that affect communities of color could help move the United States’ political
culture beyond…identity tied to race.” Second, “the most important
constitutional reform for addressing the challenge of political tribalism is
ending partisan gerrymandering.” Third, “President Biden must take the lead and
convene a national summit on tribalism to examine the issue, explore its threat
to U.S. governance and security and propose recommendations to address it.”
Ultimately, citizens must look up from their digital screens
and find ways to interact with “others” from distinct backgrounds and
perspectives. The goal is not to
eliminate differences or to end rational conflict, but to learn how to
effectively govern despite them. Mr.
Brigety ends his essay with the stimulating thought: “A country that reveres
its freedom and insists on its exceptionalism should also meet the standards of
governance it sets for itself.”
