A divided America, an anxious world: a turn in the history of US elections

FOR much of the post-World War II period, American presidential elections were seen as a civilised and spirited contest between representatives of the Democratic and Republican parties, the country's two major political forces.

American voters were asked to decide which of two presidential candidates would be more successful in crafting and carrying out policies that would help advance US interests at home and abroad. During those years, a certain consensus developed in Washington when it came to core national policy issues, including the economy, defence, foreign policy, and immigration. The debates during election campaigns tended to focus less on the country's national identity, its need to increase economic growth and help the needy or for that matter, over the role that the US should play around the world.

Indeed, there used to be bipartisan agreement over the issues with the Democrats and the Republicans fighting over what would be the most cost-effective policies to achieve these national goals and which of the two candidates was more qualified to do the job.