Defending the Establishment: Identifying the Forces that Undermine America’s Political Organizations

Academic analysis of the 2016 United States presidential election often credits political polarization for Donald Trump’s victory. But scholars have dedicated less attention to the electorate’s widespread and growing distrust of the nation’s political institutions. Trump both capitalized on and contributed to Americans’ skepticism of longstanding establishment institutions, including the media, political parties, and administrative agencies. In the same year, Bernie Sanders (I-VT) nearly won the Democratic presidential primary by calling for a political revolution. In the leadup to the election, the term “fake news” gained widespread popularity. Many modern voters consider political parties corrupt organizations that prevent government from operating efficiently. Millions of Americans came to believe a “deep state” of bureaucrats covertly control government. These ideas did not suddenly arise in 2016. They developed through decades of technological, social, and political changes that created an environment hostile to insiders. The United States remains one of the most stable, secure, and prosperous nations in the world. Americans should exercise caution before undermining the peripheral establishment institutions that organically developed to help build, stabilize, and structure the national purpose. This thesis considers why government distrust gained momentum over the last fifty years and how it impacts society. Anti-establishment rhetoric frequently goes unchallenged. This thesis defends the establishment