The Long Institutional Road to Trumpism

• In Event: 50426 - Far-Right Extremism Inside the Government

Abstract

This paper argues that the long-term success of conservative movements in the United States is driven less by public opinion than by enduring institutional advantages embedded in American politics. Although the Trump administrations accelerated conservative victories on issues such as abortion, taxation, gun rights, voting rights, labor, environmental regulation, and LGBTQ rights, these gains reflect decades-long trends. Conservative movements benefit from a cohesive alliance of Republican leaders, business interests, religious conservatives, and issue-based advocacy groups, while progressive movements are more fragmented. Institutional features such as the Electoral College, Senate malapportionment, judicial appointments, and legislative veto points enable conservatives to shape policy even without majority public support. These advantages are reinforced by a powerful conservative media ecosystem. While progressives retain strengths in major states, metropolitan areas, and the Democratic Party, durable policy change will require sustained organization, repeated electoral victories, and reforms that reduce barriers to representation and participation.

Author

• Edwin Amenta, University of California-Irvine