Carta de la Ciudad de México: ¿Puede la polarización construir democracia?

Uchas veces, el desacuerdo implica enemistad. La mejor apuesta para nuestro futuro es tender puentes entre los polos extremos

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No existen democracias sin algún tipo de polarización, lo que no es en sí mismo nocivo ni patológico. En realidad, las instituciones democráticas están diseñadas para canalizar el disenso, permitir la competencia pacífica entre grupos y partidos, y procesar las diferencias entre mayorías y minorías. Una dosis de polarización puede ser consustancial a la vida en una sociedad pluralista.

La intensidad de la polarización difiere dependiendo del tema y de la influencia de quien difunde mensajes divisivos. No es lo mismo la polarización que genera la inauguración …

A member of the Mexican National Guard stands in front of a red moving train in the Mexico City Metro subway.

A Letter from Mexico City: Can Polarization Build Democracy?

Too Often Disagreement Means Enmity. But Bridging Extremes Is the Best Bet for Our Future

What are the obstacles and opportunities facing democracy today? Zócalo is publishing a series of letters to highlight how the world’s democratic ideals are faring in practice. From Mexico: Public …

The Secret to Making Democracy More Civil and Less Polarized | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

The Secret to Making Democracy More Civil and Less Polarized

When Citizens Get to Decide Big Questions for Themselves, They Act More Responsibly Than Their Politicians

“When you take responsibility away from people you make them irresponsible,” proclaimed English politician Sir Keith Joseph almost half a century ago.

Sir Keith might not be a household name outside …

Your Vote Is More Polarized Than You Are | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Your Vote Is More Polarized Than You Are

American Politicians Are More Divided Than Ever. American People? Maybe Not

If you consider only the names on our ballots and the voices on cable news, answering the question posed by this Zócalo/UCLA Anderson School of Management event is easy. “Is …

Why Facebook Makes Americans Feel Politically Polarized

By Equating Political and Social Identities, the Platform Makes Our Divides Feel Unbridgeable

It’s not hard to understand why moderate opinions are absent from the ranks of cable television talking heads, satellite radio hosts, and newspaper opinion editorialists. Moderation doesn’t sell. Americans have …

Why Extreme Moderation Is the Vital Alternative to Political Polarization

Theorist Tzvetan Todorov's Passionate Pluralism Is More Relevant Now Than Ever

Last month, the Bulgarian-French intellectual Tzvetan Todorov died. A scholar on the history of thought, his writings influenced fields as disparate as anthropology, literary criticism, and history. His death was, …