The Roots of America’s Schism: Elites, Markets, and Distance

At the height of the 1980s Reagan era, U.S. establishment leaders accepted what can only be described as a Faustian bargain—a trade in which one gains power or advantage by surrendering something essential, much like the legend of Faust, who exchanged his soul for worldly success. In pursuit of GDP growth, the economic model we now call neoliberalism became dominant. Over the following decades, laissez-faire capitalism, characterized by deregulation in a borderless, competitive market, drove the country's deindustrialization. The culmination of this process firmly established the elites as “winners” in the new information-based economy, but seemingly indifferent to the working classes. In a nutshell, in pursuit of their own wealth and power, business and political leaders exhibited an unconditional acceptance of market forces while forsaking the general welfare of millions of Americans and any sense of egalitarianism.

As a consequence of this free market orthodoxy, two distinctive American societies emerged in the subsequent decades. This civic fracturing isolated the “haves” and the “have nots” in their own respective geographic and cognitive bubbles with fewer and fewer opportunities for cultural and physical contact across the divide. Ironically, the COVID mandated social distancing had already settled in by time the pandemic hit.

But here is the reality often overlooked in this societal divorce: It was not the working classes that rejected the establishment, but the reverse. Little by little, the victors of the economic model began discarding the values that still constituted the common good adhesive of the last century. The new bourgeoisie is less belligerent than indifferent to the fate of the masses; less cynical than self-absorbed in its material concerns. As elites prospered, they successfully created an economic, social and cultural milieu blind to the suffering of the working classes.

Today, it is the distancing from "the other" that maintains social order. In this society that isn't really a society, the working classes are at best forgotten, but more often disdained by leaders of both parties (think of Hilary Clinton’s “deplorables” or Mitt Romney’s “takers”).

It is this aspect of today’s American Schism that is fueling the war between the elites and the dispossessed, and thereby crippling America. Having abandoned the very concept of public service, the upper classes are now subject to the cumulated rage manifest in populist movements on both the left and right. The social consequences are enormous: in addition to the suffering of millions of Americans, the loss of trust in our governing institutions are but collateral damage of this war.

In the face of this dilemma, I am convinced that the frequently discussed structural reforms in our political systems will hardly be sufficient to save our republic and will more likely get lost in the maelstrom of our fractured society. If we are to bestow our democratic republic to future generations, in addition to structural reforms, we must lay the foundational elements upon which an endurable republic needs to rest. With our 250th birthday as a reflection point, a rebirth in civic connective tissue across the great divides of present-day America is essential.

In terms of mindset resets or behavioral change within our civic space, two specific initiatives have surfaced recently. While both would require longer term investments, they would do a great deal to foster for future generations the concept that we have more in common than that which tears us apart.

A National Service Program for Youth

Our 18th century founders based the new nation on a creed, which was then reborn in the wake of the civil war. For the republic to endure, building and reinforcing a value system aligned with this common creed is an imperative. Over our 250-year history, we have witnessed formidable leaders accomplish this by nurturing a sense of purpose that has transcended our many differences. But with the media industry and geographical factors fostering isolation across diverse communities today, young people (especially) need to get off their phones and begin building bridges…literally. A national program requiring teens between 17-19 to spend a year or two working on a civic project is one such approach. From infrastructure to health care, so many aspects of our collapsing nation would benefit from targeted support. Moreover, by encouraging teenagers to work in a community vastly different from their own, many could observe first-hand the range of diversity across our nation. Even if not compulsory, it would be hard to imagine how such a program could not be win-win: our nation’s young citizens could build skills on vastly needed projects in exchange for subsequent tuition assistance in a trade or higher education institution. Many states already have local programs and the AmeriCorps and National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) are good national models that can be built upon and expanded.

Participatory Democracy AKA Citizens’ Assemblies

While many bemoan it, most citizens understand the concept of jury duty. Further, those who actually serve often report it to be a valued experience. We need an analogous program for public policy making in the legislative branch. These assemblies typically consist of randomly selected participants who deliberate on specific issues and propose recommendations to lawmaking leaders.

Whether at the local, state and federal level, too often our existing legislative assemblies are “captured” by big money special interests, and/or subject to the loudest voices in the communities in which they serve. Citizens' Assemblies in France have already gained prominence as a means to involve ordinary citizens in the legislative process. Many prominent organizations are working on these concepts and guides exist detailing how such programs can work.

Structural reforms like open primaries, term limits or reigning in campaign financing are important initiatives and should continue to be pursued. But if we spend all our time and effort playing defense, we will fail to build the bedrock of common ground for future generations.

Seth David Radwell is the author of “American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing our Nation” winner of last year’s International Book Award for Best General Nonfiction. He is a frequent contributor as a political analyst, and speaker within both the business community and on college campuses both in the U.S. and abroad.