Finance & economics | Free exchange

Americans are wrong to wish for an era of stable bipartisanship

Even though political instability is an economic threat

illustration of a classical Greek-style building with columns and a triangular pediment, resembling a temple or bank, set against a yellow background. The building appears stable, but the ground around it is cracked.
Illustration: Álvaro Bernis

America’s stability can no longer be taken for granted. That is one possible conclusion from the near assassination of Donald Trump, reinforcing lessons already learned from the attack on the Capitol in January 2021. Regrettably, America is not exceptional in this regard. The past few months alone have featured a shooting of Slovakia’s prime minister, an assault on Denmark’s prime minister and attacks on politicians in Germany.

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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The fraught balance”

From the July 20th 2024 edition

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