Every nation has divisive issues. While most are perennials, over time new issues gain salience as others fade. At times of rising political and social tensions, such as the US since 1990, divisive issues multiply and take on a sharper edge.
If we wish to cope with these issues or even resolve some of them, it is useful to have a shared understanding of what they are as well as at least a sense of their relative importance in terms of content or divisiveness. Here we group them in buckets, and we suggest a notional relative rank order while refraining from assigning numbered rankings because there is too much uncertainty. In some cases, interest groups with sway over public policy make mildly divisive debates seem much more divisive than they actually are. We think that this characterizes the debate over Climate Change, for instance. In the case of Regulation, a lot depends on what is being regulated. We take it to refer to regulating businesses to protect public health and well-being.
Here is our list:
Bucket 1: Very Divisive
Abortion
Gun Control
Immigration
Health Care
Police Conduct
Bucket 2: Somewhat Divisive
Financial Inequality
Affirmative Action
Middle East Policy
Weapons and Funding for Ukraine
Military versus Social Spending
Trust in Media
Trade Policy
Bucket 3: Mildly Divisive
Climate Change
Environmental Protection
LGBT Rights
Voting Integrity
Bucket 4: Other Contentious Issues
Campaign Finance
Electoral College
Gerrymandering
Reparations
Prisons
American Exceptionalism/Moral Status of Nationalism
Paid Family Leave
Marijuana/Drugs
Separation of Church and State
Surveillance
Social Security
China
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Kenneth J. Dillon is an historian. Viktoria N. is a researcher and writer. See also https://www.scientiapress.com/reparations-that-bring-us-together.