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WHY HAS AMERICAN PATRIOTISM DECLINED?
- AND HOW ARE AMERICANS THINKING ABOUT THEIR NATION'S HISTORY & IDENTITY ON ITS 250th BIRTHDAY?

INTRODUCTION:

Independence Day and the "semiquincentennial" - i.e. the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence - has come & gone and left a debate in its wake about Americans' declining sense of patriotism that's been showing up in public opinion polls. If you look at the graphic above from a recent Gallup poll, it shows that there's 3 noticeable trends in their polls asking Americans if they're "extremely proud" or "very proud" to be an American:

(1) Democrats tend to be less report less national pride than Independent, who in turn report less national pride than Republicans.

(2) The youngest Americans who belong to Gen Z tend to report less national pride than Millennials & Gen X, who in tend to report less national pride than Boomers and the Silent Generation.

(3) There's been a noticeable decline in national pride within every political party and every generational cohort over the last decade.

So what's going on here? How important is it? Is this merely related to controversies stirred up by the current administration? And what are the implications for American politics? That's what we'll address in this meetup.

In the 1st section, we'll dive deeper into the nuances of the public opinion polls and try to figure out how the tendency to report a sense of national pride (or lack thereof) tends to correlate with other responses which might give us a better sense of what people mean by "patriotism" and how loving one's country can overlap with but also differ from loving the current government or loving one's "nation" (in the ethnic/cultural sense). Are we talking about a commitment to our country's constitutional framework & its ideals, an ethical commitment to helping our fellow citizens, a nostalgic view of our country's past, an optimistic view of our country's future, some combination of the above, or something else entirely?

In the 2nd section, we'll look at how people's reported sense of patriotism may be related to American foreign policy, military strength and international standing, as well as how foreigners tend to view Americans. This is especially relevant amid the Iran War which has driven up the global price of oil and angered many of America's allies. We'll also touch upon the experiences of World Cup tourists visiting the U.S. during the 4th of July celebrations.

In the 3rd section, we'll look at how people's reported sense of patriotism may be related to their sense of American history, in particular the debates over past discrimination, as well as their sense of the trajectory of contentious social issues & changing demographics- i.e. do people think we're moving in the right or wrong direction? The country's 250th birthday has led pundits & scholars to relitigate some of the debates about American history & identity that came to a head back in 2019-2021 with the New York Times' "1619 Project" and the Trump administration's competing "1776 Project", the toppling & defacing of public monuments, and the debates over "critical race theory" in public schools.

In the 4th section, we'll look at how people's reported sense of patriotism may be related to the state of the economy, their personal financial wellbeing, and whether or not they feel they have a decent short of achieving the "American dream" - i.e. being better off than their parents. These issues have become especially relevant after the surprising victories of several democratic socialist candidates in Democratic primaries, leading Trump to condemn the Democratic Party as "communists" in his 4th of July speech at Mount Rushmore.

RELEVANT MATERIAL FROM PAST MEETUPS:

Back in Sept. 2023, we had a meetup entitled "(Why) Is American Leadership Declining?" We discussed: (1) claims that U.S. politicians are becoming dumber and/or less educated over time, (2) concerns about the increase in elderly politicians since 1980, (3) arguments that our politicians have become too wealthy, and (4) whether U.S. politicians are becoming more extreme and more polarized than the electorate at large.

Back in Oct. 2023, we had a meetup entitled "(Why) Is Our Civic Virtue Declining?" We discussed: (1) factors behind the declining trust in government and institutions since the 1970s, (2) the decline in "civic participation" famously detailed in the sociologist Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone, (3) the alleged rise in selfishness, immaturity, and poor work ethic among younger Americans; and (4) why America has seen a rise in "affective polarization" - i.e. a negative shift in feelings towards members of the opposing political party.

Back in Apr. 2014, we had a meetup entitled "How the World Views America." We discussed: (1) American cultural influence on the world, (2) political impacts of U.S. policies on other countries, (3) America's likeability in other countries, and (4) the impact of different presidential administrations on America's image abroad.

In a meetup in March 2019, we explored allegations that there's a "depression epidemic" in America and potential causes for it, including declining social capital & rising loneliness, economic problems & work stress, and sedentary lifestyle & poor diet.

Back in Dec. 2019, we had a meetup entitled "Can We Depolarize Politics?" and in the 1st section we looked at possible causes of affective and ideological polarization among voters, such as increasingly partisan news, social media echo chambers, geographic self-sorting into "Blue" cities and "Red" rural areas, and the magnification of social tensions by wage stagnation and shifting racial demographics.

DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR OUR DISCUSSION:
The videos & articles you see linked below are intended to give you a basic overview of some of the major debates over the decline in American patriotism and its possible causes & effects. As usual, I certainly don't expect you to read all the articles prior to attending our discussion. The easiest way to prepare for our discussion is to just watch the numbered videos linked under each section - the videos come to about 50 minutes total. The articles marked with asterisks are just there to supply additional details. You can browse and look at whichever ones you want, but don't worry - we'll cover the stuff you missed in our discussion.
In terms of the discussion format, my general idea is that we'll address the topics in the order presented here. I've listed some questions under each section to stimulate discussion. We'll do our best to address most of them, as well as whatever other questions our members raise. I figure we'll spend about 30 minutes on each section.

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I. THE MEANINGS OF "PATRIOTISM" & HOW TO MEASURE THEM:

  • Could we use polling to determine what percentage of Americans subscribed to "blind patriotism" (i.e. "my country, right or wrong") versus "constructive patriotism" that fosters civic engagement to promote reforms?
  • If Trump sped up the decline among Democrats who say they're "extremely or very proud" to be an American, what explains Democrats' lower levels of being "extremely/very proud" (80% vs the Republicans' 90% in 2015) even during the Obama years?
  • Is it plausible that many younger progressives began to gradually think of "America" as nearly synonymous with "Red States" and "patriotism" as the nearly synonymous with "jingoism/chauvinism" during the Obama years, as Scott Alexander suggested? If so, how & why did this happen?
  • Do polls that show a more stable percentage of Americans who report being at least "somewhat proud" undercut narratives of a dramatic patriotism decline?
  • What correlations can we find between self-reported patriotism and beliefs about whether America's founding ideals are noble, whether we still uphold them, whether America's best days are ahead, and feelings about the current government? Can most Americans distinguish between these views?
  • Can polls that ask about whether Americans define U.S. nationhood by "civic ideals" versus "heritage/tradition" allow us to determine who subscribes to "civic nationalism" versus "ethnic nationalism"?
  • How can we explain Americans' level of reported patriotism going from above average to below average when compare to other countries?

1a) Chris Cilliza, "The Shocking New Poll About American Pride" (video - 9:23 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmHAqcCxpWw

1b) Bloomberg TV w/ Ashley Connan & Abby Livingston, "Polls Say American Pride Depends on How You Ask" (video - 9:21 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fl0KvnK0iE

II. FOREIGN POLICY, AMERICA'S GLOBAL IMAGE & THEIR RELATION TO PATRIOTISM:

  • When survey respondents say America is "losing influence," what do you think they are actually evaluating: military victories, diplomatic success, economic competitiveness, cultural influence, or something else?
  • The poll found that most Americans believe the U.S. should be a moral leader, but far fewer believe it currently is. What do you think respondents mean by "moral leadership"?
  • The NPR poll found large partisan differences on Ukraine, foreign policy priorities, and America's role in the world. What experiences or assumptions might lead Republicans and Democrats to interpret the same international events so differently?
  • The Pew polling suggests many foreign publics have become less favorable toward the U.S. government, while World Cup visitors often report very positive experiences with ordinary Americans. Why might those two impressions differ?
  • Do Americans tend to evaluate their country's international standing differently than foreigners do? If so, why might their perspectives differ?

2a) NY Center for Foreign Policy Affairs, "Is U.S. Global Influence Fading? Polls Reveal Americans Fear Declining Power in 2026" (video - 1:48 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94umC44C44k

2b) NPR, "New NPR/Ipsos poll reveals trends in Americans' view of foreign policy" (video - 1:43 min)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dgyOOB7rx50

2b) CNN w/ Michael Smerconish, "The World Is Falling in Love With America Again" (video - 4:56 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h72x4kpVPU

III. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN SOCIAL CONSERVATISM & SOCIAL PROGRESSIVISM & ITS RELATION TO PATRIOTISM:

  • To what extent can a pessimistic view on America in K-12 and college history/civics courses, along with widespread debates over racial discrimination, explain the lower levels of reported patriotism in Gen Z?
  • When surveys ask about patriotism, do you think respondents distinguish between criticizing specific historical events or current policies and rejecting America as a whole? How might different generational cohorts draw that line differently based on the life experiences, i.e. Boomers remember the social turbulence & civil rights reforms of the 1960s, whereas Gen X can remember a less polarized time before social media, while younger Millennials & Gen Z only know an era of high polarization?
  • Do you think young people's views of American history are more likely to shape their expectations about the country's future, or do their expectations about the future shape how they interpret American history?
  • Do reform movements depend on a base level of moderate patriotism to fuel civic engagement (i.e. community organizing, protesting, voting)? And if the requisite patriotism is lacking, is this more likely to lead to apathy or violence?
  • The sociologist Jean Twenge's research suggests younger Americans report weaker attachment not only to the nation but also to institutions such as churches, families, and civic organizations. Do you think these trends are likely to be connected, or largely independent of one another?
  • Do you think today's differences between Gen Z and older Americans primarily reflect age (people becoming more patriotic as they get older), or do they suggest a lasting generational shift? What kinds of evidence would help distinguish between those possibilities?

3a) National Desk w/ Gregory Lyakhov, "Polls show decline in patriotism among younger generations amid debate over civic education" (video - 5:17 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsU3dDzzB5k

3b) NewsNation w/ Jean Twenge, "Gen Z less happy and less patriotic: Poll" (video - 6:27 min)
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8obJhpPrZA

IV. THE "AMERICAN DREAM", THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS & THEIR RELATION TO POPULISM & PATRIOTISM:

  • The CBS report notes that Americans today are wealthier, healthier, and better educated than previous generations, while many also believe upward mobility has become more difficult. Can those two observations both be true?
  • How might public perceptions of economic opportunity and risks affect reported levels of patriotism - i.e. is national pride partly contingent on economic optimism?
  • To what extent might Trump supporters' support for tariffs and opposition to immigration represent a frustration with stagnating wages and towns hollowed out by deindustrialization? And is Trump's "economic nationalism" still popular with his base?
  • To what extent might younger Americans' greater openness to "democratic socialism" reflect frustration with housing costs, student loan debt, and job insecurity in the face of AI & automation rather than ideological commitment to socialism itself?
  • Is support for a "socialist" candidate the same as support for a command economy or merely higher taxes to fund higher social spending - and do most polls distinguish or conflate them?
  • Will a perception that Democrats are moving towards "socialism" hurt even moderate Democrats in the 2026 midterms? Or will Republicans being the incumbent party and conservative attempts to brand younger voters as "lazy" or "entitled" cause a backlash against the GOP?

4a) CBS News, "'Does the American dream still exist?" (video - 4:56 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTiVojsEc3U

4b) Fox 32 Chicago w/ Tabitha Bonilla, "What's driving Gen Z's embrace of socialism?" (video - 6:56 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf9JWaLnLxM

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Related topics

Intellectual Discussions
History
American Culture
Patriotism
Political Polarization

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