Populism and American Democracy

Abstract

This chapter introduces the idea of the vital center, as developed by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. in 1949. Populism is not new to the American experience. Many of the same anxieties plaguing America at the end of World War II continue to fester in American society. But, as we contend, Schlesinger and other, modern-day political observers who desire a return to pragmatic politics fail to understand how the country’s political institutions reinforce the civic habits and cultural norms that support liberal, free society. Like other scholars, we turn our attention to the important mediating role that has long been played by the American party system. Unlike others, though, we develop our argument that the decline in collective party responsibility has gone hand in hand with the growth of presidential power, particularly since the 1960s.