Brendan NyhanVerified account

Sadly, we've known for decades that a subset of people have authoritarian tendencies and that hatred toward outgroups is often widespread

People's vulnerability to Trump-like figure hasn't changed. What changed is that the institutions of Am. govt./party system legitimized one

That's why I'm dubious about all the root cause psychologizing - where's data showing economic anxiety or racial hatred is that much higher?

Trump's rise represents a failure in American parties, media, and civic institutions - and they're continuing to fail right now

Shockingly few public figures and elites are defending the norms of public debate and restraint from violence that Trump is bulldozing.

These norms are fragile precisely because, per @emilythorson, they are not formal or legal. And they are hard to restore once breached.

No one person or institution is at fault for Trump. Everyone has their favorite monocausal explanation. They're all incomplete.

We can sort through root causes later. Here's where we are: Someone could capture a major party nom who endorses violence & few seem alarmed