Political divide in the US sharply increased after 2008 - study
Kyiv • UNN
A University of Cambridge study showed that differences in Americans' views on social and political issues have significantly increased since 2008, when the global financial crisis began.
Differences in the views of the American population on social and political issues sharply increased between 1988 and 2008. This has been particularly noticeable since 2008, when the global financial crisis began, Barack Obama became US president, and Apple's App Store and iPhone 3G were launched. This is reported by UNN with reference to phys.org.
Details
The Cambridge University Political Psychology Lab analyzed opinions on a wide range of issues — from abortion and equality to traditional values — over nearly four decades and found that polarization barely changed throughout the 90s and 2000s.
However, since 2008, divergences across all areas have steadily increased, as shown by research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
Much of this shift is due to the liberal segment of the American public moving in a more progressive direction. According to the survey results, in 2024, the left-leaning segment of Americans was 31.5% more socially liberal compared to 1988, while the right-leaning segment of American society was only 2.8% more conservative.
Our research shows that 2008 was a significant turning point in the divergence between left and right on many issues that define contemporary US politics
Recall
Donald Trump's average approval rating in January 2026 was 40%, and according to Gallup and Reuters/Ipsos, it was 36%. Most US residents are dissatisfied with his economic and immigration policies.