Jacen Litterst is an independent researcher of Austrian economics.

Party Over Principle: A Lesson from the Bloody Shirt Era

The partisan rhetoric of the post-Civil War period was unique to its historical moment, yet not unique as a political tactic. Instead, while the terminology has changed, similar types of political “horse blinders” continue to shape how Americans view their past and present. By attributing the country’s ills solely to the opposing party, the underlying economic, social, and political problems are often misdiagnosed or left unaddressed. This tactic also allows those truly responsible for such problems to redirect public anger toward a convenient enemy.