Polarization and the Politics of Personal Responsibility

Jeffrey M. Stonecash

Oxford University Press, December 2015

Polarization and the Politics of Personal Responsibility

America is divided by two clashing views about how much individuals can be held responsible for their situation. Liberals see many individuals as not completely responsible for the situation they are in. They see the opportunities of individuals limited by their class, race, and sex. The resulting distribution of outcomes is therefore seen as unjust, and the remedy is for government to help offset the limits people face. In contrast, conservatives believe individuals can and must live their lives with a presumption of personal responsibility for what happens. Without that presumption as a norm, individuals avoid responsibility for their actions. Government assistance is not seen as valuable, but as creating dependency and ultimately crippling to those who receive it. Society as a whole suffers.