One of the most enduring lessons of history is that political leaders often gain power not by bringing people together but by convincing them they have an enemy. The identities of those enemies change from one generation to another, but the underlying strategy has remained remarkably consistent.
Sometimes the dividing line has been economic class. The Bolsheviks portrayed society as a struggle between workers and capitalists. During the French Revolution, the aristocracy became the enemy. Mao Zedong mobilized millions by encouraging ordinary Chinese to identify and denounce “class enemies.” In other times and places, leaders have divided people by race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, or ideology. The labels change, but the political formula remains much the same: define an “us,” identify a dangerous “them,” and persuade people that only the leader can protect them.
The great irony is that the people on opposite sides of these political divides often have far more in common with each other than they do with the leaders directing the conflict.
America today is experiencing this very challenge.
There are genuine disagreements between conservatives and progressives. We debate immigration, abortion, taxation, environmental policy, the proper role of government, and many other important issues. Those debates are healthy and inevitable in a democracy.
But beneath those differences lies a much larger foundation of common interests. Most Americans want honest government, safe neighborhoods, affordable health care, good schools, economic opportunity, secure retirements, and a better future for their children. Whether someone wears a MAGA hat or supports Democratic candidates, they worry about paying bills, finding good jobs, caring for aging parents, and leaving a better country to the next generation.
These shared concerns rarely dominate our politics because conflict is often a more effective political tool than consensus. Fear generates much larger campaign contributions than hope.
When citizens begin to see one another primarily as enemies, they become less likely to work together to hold powerful leaders accountable. Political loyalty can begin to outweigh loyalty to democratic institutions. At that point, the greatest beneficiaries are often not ordinary citizens but those who already possess political or economic power.
President Trump has proven to be a master at using divisiveness to gain and retain power. His political success has depended heavily on persuading many Americans that politics is an existential struggle between “real Americans” and a long list of enemies: Democrats, liberals, the media, career civil servants, prosecutors, judges, universities, and others he portrays as conspiring against the country and against him personally. His followers believe this rhetoric simply identifies real problems that previous leaders ignored. And no doubt to some degree this is true. However his objective is not to identify and address problems but rather to deepen the division because division strengthens personal political power.
We also see that an extraordinary concentration of economic power is becoming intertwined with political power. This is nothing new either. Throughout history, political leaders and wealthy economic elites have often found common cause. When government becomes less willing to regulate powerful interests, those interests can gain even greater influence over public life. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, that should concern anyone who believes democratic government should ultimately answer to its citizens rather than to a small group of exceptionally powerful individuals.
Just because those of us on the Blue Team oppose Donald Trump does not mean that we are enemies of the Red Team members. Rather, I believe that we have a lot more in common with each other than we do with politicians who have been dividing us for political and financial gain.
We all love our families. We all work hard. We our communities to be safe. We all want opportunity, fairness, and a government they can trust. And we all want America to be the best that it can be both now and in the future for our descendants. Sure, we differ on some things, but we are all Americans – we can’t let some differences cause us to see one another as enemies.
History teaches that societies become strongest not when every disagreement disappears but when citizens refuse to let political leaders convince them that their neighbors are the enemy.
The most important question facing America today is not whether Republicans or Democrats will win the next election. It is whether we will continue to define one another by our political tribes or remember that we are fellow citizens first.
If we can rediscover that common identity, we may also rediscover our ability to hold every leader—Republican or Democrat, wealthy or powerful—accountable to the people they serve. That, more than any election or political victory, is the foundation of a healthy republic.
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