Part 9: System Change: Polarization

When two groups have different ideas about what’s right or fair, conflict is possible. If their differences (and levels of emotion) intensify, several predictable things begin to happen. Each group begins feeling threatened by the other, and ideas, feelings and actions of both groups change in patterned ways described below, in the spiraling process called “polarization.”

Robert C. North has summarized the process of polarization in this way:

“A perceives—rightly or wrongly—that he is being threatened or injured by B. A takes what he considers to be defensive action, but B interprets the defensive action as an offensive action. So B, of course, responds ‘defensively.’ A, perceiving now that his initial fears were justified, increases his activities, and thus the conflict spirals.”

This process is so important in human relations—marriage, labor-management relationship, international affairs—it needs to be well understood. However, traditional American history courses tend to focus on details of particular conflicts and neglect the general principles underlying them.

Conflict and violence are inescapable parts of the story of the past. The causes, course and consequences of war probably fill more pages of history books than any other subject. Many of the remaining history book pages deal with other kinds of conflict—riots, demonstrations, labor strife, lesser rebellions. Historians differ in their assumptions about causes of conflict, citing economic, political, philosophical or cultural differences. Whatever the initial cause, polarization—action/reaction spirals—is the process that often turns minor differences or disagreements into conflicts. Trivial differences can escalate, often limited only by each side’s resources.

The concept of polarization encompasses a series of patterns of human behavior, patterns that can, within limits, be predicted. Like all good key ideas, the concept has within it several important and interrelated sub-concepts that help students understand a wide range of past, present and future conflicts. The period that led to the Civil War, especially, is a case study in protracted polarization.