Political polarization
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
“Do you think the recent events in the political arena have caused a further division among Filipinos?”
This was the question asked of us by a media practitioner recently. The distinguished journalist wanted to find out how we see the brewing political controversies that could affect our life as a nation.
The journalist’s questions may have stemmed from the recent uptick in angry social media posts, fueled by news items reporting on the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the move by elements of our local police and the Interpol to fly him to The Hague to face trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The social media environment is in full-blown controversy mode, with both pros and antis airing their sentiments using inflammatory language. The communication environment is adversarial. It may be easy to conclude that the demarcation lines separating political and ideological persuasions and loyalties have been drawn once more.
Our view is that we are living in an era of significant polarization. This is true not just here in our country, but also in the rest of the world. This is true even among the most powerful countries. If we are to form conclusions based on what people are saying on the most widely used digital platforms today, we can say that tolerance is a value that has gone out of style.
For example, in the United States, the intensity of angry rhetoric seems to have gone up several notches even though elections are over. Every decision and action taken by the residents of the White House attracts both vicious attacks and ardent support. In US politics, the lines are clearly drawn.
A USA Today article describes the situation this way: “Amid growing violence, discrimination, and general polarization, society is increasingly confused about how a peaceful, inclusive world can be cultivated. Around the world, things seem to be falling apart. Conflicts are worsening and reigniting, increasing human suffering.”
Our elders in Rizal Province have pointed out that we, Filipinos, have long lived in a highly polarized society. In the olden days, our forebears were divided between the advocates of independence from Spain and those who had wanted us to be a province of that Mother Country. We were later divided between pro-Americans and anti-Americans, pro-Japanese and anti-Japanese.
Lines were drawn between those affiliated with the Nacionalista party and the Liberals at a time when political parties were still a respected institution. Others say there is a polarization between Filipinos who are rich and those who are poor. We may have seen the polarization between the red and yellow forces during the era of the EDSA revolution.
Is political polarization dangerous?
Political experts think so. Research institutes like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace are now looking into the long-term effect of political polarization in the US. There are many lessons we can learn here.
According to Carnegie, there are reasons for concern. “At the elite level, deep political divides in Washington have crippled efforts at legislative compromise, eroded institutional and behavioral norms, and incentivized politicians to pursue their aims outside of gridlocked institutions, including through the courts,” the research institute said.
“Yet these divides extend far beyond the corridors of power, as polarization at the mass level is pushing Americans across the country to divide themselves into distinct and mutually exclusive political camps,” it added. “The rise of an ‘us versus them’ mindset and political identity in American sociopolitical life is evident in everything from the rise of highly partisan media to the decline in Americans’ willingness to marry someone from the opposing political party,” it continued.
“Even more concerningly, these dynamics are contributing directly to a steep rise in political violence,” it warned.
We hope that the escalating polarization that has recently become apparent in our political arena will not result in the political violence experts fear. In social media, there are talks of another “EDSA.” We hope this is baseless. We pray that we may see a return to the spirit of dialogue and tolerance.
Can the dangers of political polarization be reversed or at least arrested? Experts say, yes.
One of the solutions is called “superordinate goals.” This refers to the adoption of “common goals” or “shared interests” by conflicting groups. This happens when we focus on being “Filipinos” rather than simply identifying ourselves as “red,” “green,” “pink,” or “yellow.” While our political affiliations and persuasions may significantly differ, we must remind ourselves that we are first and foremost Filipinos and that the preservation of national peace and unity has practical and moral benefits for all of us.
It is also good to remind ourselves that polarization that results in violence benefits none of us.
We are at a highly emotional moment at this point. We believe that once we have returned to a state of sobriety, we can then focus on what we hold in common, what our shared interests are, and that we only have one country. These are more important than the things that divide us.
(The author is the mayor of Antipolo City, former Rizal governor, DENR assistant secretary and LLDA general manager. Email: antipolocitygov@gmail.com)