America's democratic norms, then, were born in a context of exclusion. As long as the political community was restricted largely to whites, Democrats and Republicans had much in common. Neither party was likely to view the other as an existential threat. The process of racial inclusion that began after World War II and culminated in the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act would, at long last, fully democratize the United States. But it would also polarize it, posing the greatest challenge to established forms of mutual toleration and forbearance since Reconstruction.
America's democratic traditions were established in an environment that primarily excluded non-whites from political participation. During this time, both major political parties, the Democrats and Republicans, shared similar views, as they were not confronted with opposing ideologies from a diverse electorate. This lack of competition allowed for a certain degree of political harmony between them.
The shift towards racial inclusivity, which began after World War II and reached a critical point with the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, fundamentally transformed the political landscape. While these legislative milestones aimed to fully democratize the nation, they also heightened polarization and challenged the established norms of mutual respect and tolerance between parties, marking a significant departure from the era following Reconstruction.
