Dangerous Instrument: Political Polarization and US Civil-Military Relations (BRIDGING THE GAP SERIES)

As increasingly contentious politics in the United States raise concerns over the politicization of traditionally non-partisan institutions, many have turned their attention to how the American military has been--and will be--affected by this trend. Since a low point following the end of the Vietnam War, the U.S. military has experienced a dramatic reversal of public opinion, becoming one of the most trusted institutions in American society. However, this trend is more complicated than it appears: just as individuals have become fonder of their military, they have also become increasingly polarized from one another along partisan lines. The result is a new political environment rife with challenges to traditional civil-military norms. In a data-driven analysis of contemporary American attitudes, Dangerous Instrument examines the current state of U.S. civil-military affairs, probing how the public views their military and the effect that partisan tribalism may have on that relationship in the future. Michael A. Robinson studies the sources and potential limits of American trust in the armed services, focusing on the interplay of the public, political parties, media outlets, and the military itself on the prospect of politicization and its associated challenges. As democratic institutions face persistent pressure worldwide, Dangerous Instrument provides important insights into the contemporary arc of American civil-military affairs and delivers recommendations on ways to preserve a non-partisan military. As increasingly contentious politics in the United States raise concerns over the “politicization” of traditionally non-partisan institutions, many have turned their attention to how the American military has been—and will be—affected by this trend. Since its nadir following the end of the Vietnam War, the US military has seen a dramatic reversal of fortune, becoming the most trusted institution in American society. However, this pattern is more complicated than we might think. Just as individuals have become fonder of their military, they have also become increasingly polarized from one another along partisan lines. The result is a new political environment rife with challenges to traditional civil-military norms against the involvement of the military in partisan affairs. In a data-driven analysis of contemporary American attitudes, this book examines the current state of US civil-military affairs, probing how the public sees their military and the effect that partisan tribalism may have on that perception into the future. It studies the dynamics of the civil-military relationship, focusing on the interplay of the public, political parties, media outlets, and the military itself regarding the threat of “politicization.” Amidst broader concerns over the future of stable democracy around the world, this book provides important insights into the effect of partisanship on America’s association with its military, delivering recommendations on ways to repair the relationship into the future. In a data-driven analysis of contemporary American attitudes, 'Dangerous Instrument' examines the current state of U.S. civil-military affairs, probing how the public views their military and the effect that partisan tribalism may have on that relationship in the future. Michael A. Robinson studies the sources and potential limits of American trust in the armed services, focusing on the interplay of the public, political parties, media outlets, and the military itself on the prospect of politicisation and its associated challenges. As democratic institutions face persistent pressure worldwide, this title provides important insights into the contemporary arc of American civil-military affairs and delivers recommendations on ways to preserve a non-partisan military Front Matter Copyright Page Dedication Acknowledgments List of Illustrations List of Tables Epigraph Expand1 Introduction View chapter Expand2 That Fair and Warlike Form: How America Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Military View chapter Expand3 Deafening Whisper: The Utility of the Military Voice View chapter Expand4 Return to Sender: Media Reporting and the Partisan “Credibility Gap” View chapter Expand5 No Time to Explain: Cognitive Biases and Partisan Perceptions of the Military View chapter Expand6 Delusions and Grandeur: Weakening Civil-Military Norms and Politicization View chapter Expand7 Missing in Faction: The Future of Civil-Military Relations View chapter