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- Title
From Many Divides, One? The Polarization and Nationalization of American State Party Platforms, 1918–2017.
- Authors
Hopkins, Daniel J.; Schickler, Eric; Azizi, David L.
- Abstract
Many contend that U.S. state parties are increasingly polarized and nationalized, meaning that they have adopted divergent positions matching their national counterparts' positions. Such trends reflect a transformation of America's historically decentralized party system. Yet, the precise timing of these related trends—as well as the mechanisms underpinning them—remain unclear. We assess these dynamics using a novel data set of 1,783 state party platforms between 1918 and 2017. Applying tools from automated and manual content analysis, we document a dramatic divergence in the topics emphasized by Democrats and Republicans starting in the mid-1990s, just as congressional speech became polarized. During this period, cross-state differences in each party's agenda decreased and regional/sectoral issues became less prominent, suggesting tight connections between polarization, nationalization, and state agendas. We also find that innovative phrases increasingly debut in state (not national) platforms. Overall, the evidence undercuts claims of top-down polarization emanating from national party leaders in Washington, DC. Polarization at the state and federal levels coincided with the development of an integrated network of activists spanning multiple levels of the polity.
- Subjects
AMERICA; WASHINGTON (D.C.); GOVERNMENT ownership; CONTENT analysis; POLITICAL systems; DEMOCRATS (United States); REPUBLICANS
- Publication
Studies in American Political Development, 2022, Vol 36, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
0898-588X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1017/S0898588X22000013