Donald Trump won a second — and, this time, overwhelming — victory on November 5. As the United States and the world take stock, the Journal of Democracy is looking back at 2016 and Trump’s unlikely rise to power.
The 2016 U.S. Election: The Populist Moment
Rising populism in the U.S. and beyond is calling into question the liberal-democratic bargain that has defined the postwar era. What led to Americans’ present revolt against elites, and what are its implications?
William A. GalstonThe 2016 U.S. Election: How Trump Lost and Won
Three factors help to explain the historically wide split between the electoral and popular vote counts: economic and political fundamentals, polarization among voters over identity issues, and the sharply divergent ways in which the candidates chose to address these issues.
John Sides, Michael Tesler, and Lynn VavreckThe 2016 U.S. Election: The Nomination Game
Since the 1970s, the U.S. presidential-nomination system has become more democratic, making primary elections crucial, reducing the influence of political parties, and making it easier for outsiders to win.
James W. CeaserThe 2016 U.S. Election: Fears and Facts About Electoral Integrity
In 2016, concerns about the administration of elections in the United States generated highly charged partisan debates. Are the worries justified?
Charles Stewart IIIThe 2016 U.S. Election: Can Democracy Survive the Internet?
Traditional intermediary institutions such as parties and the legacy media are not what they once were, and they are not coming back. What are the implications of new social media and digital-campaign techniques?
Nathaniel Persily
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Image Credit: Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead