Divisive US Politics

Dixya Poudel

US politics has taken a new turn after the attack on the Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump who narrowly escaped an attempted assassination. As such, he has remained defiant in its aftermath as he recently announced Ohio senator J. D. Vance as his running mate. 

The current president Joe Biden has severely condemned the attack on Trump. Also, security services have come under a public ire in a nation considered as one of the military powers in the world. As the Democrats and Republicans will face off in the forthcoming ballots, American politics is now afire with the recent attack against Trump who has survived a threat to his life. Changes are further on the horizon now that Biden has stepped aside from the presidential race. As a result, all eyes are on the US as the nation gears towards the upcoming election. 

History has shown that politics is often linked to violence. And ever since the establishment of human civilisation, politics has been at the centre of decision making at a state level. The term politics is derived from the Greek word, ‘politikos’ which means related to the state and its administration. Thus, Ancient Greece is credited for political establishment when it comes to governing a nation. However, even before the Greeks, mankind had some form of hierarchal political order. 

While prehistoric men might have fought with clubs, spears and stones, military warfare has greatly advanced since then. The fight for power has led to countless wars that have recently seen an increasing use of high-tech weapons such as missiles. Blood continues to be shed in the name of nationality, religion and ethnicity. In the West, the Church was an institution that held power for centuries. However, once Protestantism arose as a major force in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church gradually lost its hold on the political arena and most of the states became secular towards the 20th century.

 Yet, politics remains a contested subject with two World Wars waged for territorial gains. It makes one wonder if violence and politics go hand in hand, particularly when the stakes are high as in the US elections. US has become a highly polarised nation which sees continued opposition between the Democrats and the Republicans. Further, compared to the rest of the world, it has a high rate of gun violence and a divisive political rhetoric. Particularly, Trumpism has emerged as a volatile concept. As history shows, US has been a hot spot for attacks against political leaders. One can recall here the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 whose death shocked America. 

Since then, there have been several assassination attempts on the US presidents and presidential candidates. When J.F. Kennedy was fatally shot in plain sight on 1963, it not only questioned the security services, but also deprived the American people of a popular and progressive leader. As the US inches towards November election, experts have warned of escalating strains on the already divisive political atmosphere. In a nation which was once considered ‘a city on a hill’ where ideals were worshipped and dreams gave way to a beacon of hope among the American values, the current political campaigns have called for peaceful and harmonious policies.