Racism and racial conflict are always there, always a powerful and important part of American politics. But when they combine with polarization, with this kind of partisan antagonism, and when that becomes the dividing line between the parties, that's really dangerous. That's what happened in the 1850s. It led to civil war. That's what happened in the 1890s. It led to violent conflict and mass disenfranchisement. And it's happening again today.
Robert C. Lieberman
A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.
Key Highlights Include
Robert Lieberman is a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University and coauthored Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy with Suzanne Mettler.
Key Links
Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy by Robert C. Lieberman and Suzanne Mettler
"Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation" by John Lewis in The New York Times
Follow Rob Lieberman on Twitter @r_lieberman
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