Source: Independent Institute
by Pierre Lemieux
“Politicians and policy experts like to talk about the ‘root causes’ of crime, homelessness, poverty, rising prices and other problems. If they want to understand the root cause of political polarization, they might want to consider the whole picture and look in the mirror. In a book published 40 years ago, economist and political philosopher Anthony de Jasay (1925-2019) proposed an explanation that did not receive the attention it deserved. … In de Jasay’s view, politics is necessarily polarizing. It is just a matter of degree. The larger the scope of the state (the entire apparatus of government), the more politics you have. And more politics leads to more polarization.” (12/15/25)
https://www.independent.org/article/2025/12/15/polarization-mirrors-growth-of-government/