Affective political polarization in the US is at record levels, with around 55% of citizens viewing their opposing party very unfavorably[1], and 90% of Americans believing the other party would do lasting harm if it won the election[2].
It is unclear how much the increase in polarization is local to the US or global. A Stanford study found no general trend towards polarization in other western nations[3], but the Global Peace Index has found a global increase in protests, riots, and general strikes[4].
Suggested causes include social media, middle class decline, loss of geography, geographic sorting, decline of institutions, the end of the Dixiecrats, whites becoming a minority, ideological changes, and the lack of an external enemy.
Suggested solutions include better social media, citizens assemblies, electoral reform, reviving anti-trust, devolving power locally, and ideological change.
As yet, it is not clear that any efforts to reduce polarization are effective.