Trends Affecting Representative Democracy

By LEE H. HAMILTON

We’ve seen plenty of evidence lately of the deep polarization in this country. Even in the midst of this crisis, national politicians, the political parties, and their adherents are finding plenty to fight over – even as, for the most part, ordinary Americans have been united and many governors and mayors have worked hard to handle the coronavirus pandemic competently and guided by expert advice.

The question as we look ahead is whether the trends we’d been seeing before the pandemic will reassert themselves. Because those are extremely worrisome.

For years now, i...