Why Do Politicians Polarize Policymaking?

Why do politicians frequently focus on deeply polarizing issues instead of pursuing broadly beneficial reforms?

In this special episode, Anthony sits down with Wiola Dziuda and Ethan Bueno de Mesquita to discuss their paper “Partisan Traps”. They examine why some politicians may benefit from convincing voters that policymaking is about zero-sum partisan solutions and that opportunities for reforms benefiting voters across the political spectrum are rare. The team explores how politicians can shape voters’ beliefs, how those beliefs can in turn influence politicians’ incentives, and when policymaking can fall into a self-fulfilling trap in which voters remain loyal to—and keep reelecting—parties that deliver no beneficial reforms.

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