The United States is facing significant political and cultural divisions, which Lawrence Mead insists are symptoms of a deeper cultural crisis rather than merely the results of individual politicians like Donald Trump. His book, "Political Breakdown" (2025), explores this decline, emphasizing the erosion of individualism as a central factor.
1. Decline of Individualism: Mead argues that America's past success was due to a cultural emphasis on individual responsibility and community discipline. Today, these values have weakened, resulting in social fragmentation and political turmoil.
2. Education and Family Dynamics:
• The Coleman Report (1966) revealed that family stability is more critical for student success than school resources. Children from stable homes excel while those from unstable backgrounds struggle academically, regardless of funding.
• Head Start programs showed initial promise but failed to produce long-term benefits, highlighting that cultural values passed through family life are vital for children's development and success.
3. Legacy of Black Progress:
• Before civil rights legislation, African Americans experienced gradual progress due to strong family structures and community ties. However, the post-civil rights era saw a collapse of these cultural supports, leading to issues such as increased crime and welfare dependency.
4. Importance of Family as a Cultural Transmitter:
• Mead positions families as essential for instilling values like discipline and ambition. When family structures break down, the resulting societal issues manifest as increased crime and dependency.
5. Effects of Immigration:
• The 1965 Immigration Act altered the U. S.'s demographic landscape, introducing immigrants with collectivist backgrounds. Unlike earlier European immigrants who conformed to American cultural values, many recent arrivals retain their cultural identities, hampering assimilation and individualism.
6. Challenges of Assimilation:
• Research by Jacob Vigdor indicates that while immigrants perform well economically, they struggle with cultural and civic integration. This lack of assimilation hinders the overall coherence of American society.
7. Hispanic and Black Communities:
• Both groups face unique challenges that limit upward mobility: Blacks often struggle with dependency and family instability, while Hispanics prioritize familial loyalty over individual ambition, reflecting very different pathways to assimilating into American culture.
8. East Asian American Success:
• In contrast, East Asian Americans tend to excel in education and income due to cultural values emphasizing discipline and hard work, although they may have less presence in assertive leadership roles.
9. Cultural Foundations of Democracy:
• Mead emphasizes that Western culture, shaped by historical and religious factors, cultivated an individualistic ethic crucial for democracy and capitalism. The decline of this ethic leads to political dysfunction.
Lawrence Mead's "Political Breakdown" presents a compelling argument that America's political crisis is deeply connected to cultural erosion rather than mere partisan conflict. He asserts that without a revival of individualism, civic responsibility, and successful assimilation, the nation is likely to remain trapped in division and decline.
https://mises.org/mises-wire/recognizing-roots-current-us-political-turmoil
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