The Fundamentals

Abstract

Abstract This chapter turns to how competing interests and concerns shape the strength of a democratic system. It begins with Madison’s consideration of what we call crosscutting versus reinforcing cleavages. The increased likelihood of many crosscutting cleavages was at the root of his argument for the new Constitution for America. Those who study democracies both here and in comparative democratic contexts have argued that the absence of crosscutting cleavages threatens the stability of democratic institutions, in ways Madison would fully understand. Might the increasing alignment of the originally diverse set of fundamentals mean that such a concern is nearing for the United States? This chapter measures and tests how close America is to having a singular, deep, and strongly reinforced cleavage from the partisan-sorted fundamentals. The change over the post-1984 era, especially the last few elections, is dramatic. Crosscutting cleavages have given way to a stronger and stronger reinforcing cleavage.