Opinion

Why the Left Fractures While the Right Falls in Line

Across both sides of the Atlantic, the political left has struggled to reconcile its broad social coalition with electoral discipline. In the United States and the United Kingdom alike, liberals and progressives splinter over purity, identity, and ideology, while conservatives close ranks around simpler creeds: nationalism, tradition, or loyalty to a leader. This structural imbalance—diversity versus discipline—shapes not only elections but the emotional DNA of democracy itself.

From Washington to Westminster, progressive coalitions promise diversity but deliver discord, while conservatives master the art of marching in step. What explains the asymmetry of political cohesion between left and right—and how long can it hold?

The role of moral and identity-based issues in shaping cohesion