Polarization and Deep Contestations - the liberal Script in the US

The US Election is only about two months away. Today, the United States is confronted with a crisis of democracy due to a profound ideological and affective polarization. A recent by researchers at SCRIPTS Berlin published publication addresses this issue thoroughly.

“Polarization and Deep Contestations. The Liberal Script in the United States” explores the deep contestations of the liberal script in the contemporary United States from a variety of perspectives. The book argues that Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican Party is a symptom as well as a catalyst rather than the cause of the contemporary contestations of the liberal script in the US.

WZB's Director Michael Zürn contributed alongside of many authors to this edition. In his contribution “A Conclusion. The American Version of the Liberal Script, or How Exceptionalism Leads to Exceptionalism” he analyses the economic, cultural, and political conditions under which authoritarian populism blossoms exceptionally well. He writes in his conclusion: "The four features of American society that derive from the liberal tensions are decisive: the strong belief in markets and the merit principle; a political system full of checks and balances; a multicultural or cosmopolitan inclination; and a strong community spirit on the local level.

3/9/24, kes