By now, anyone who is paying attention to the US election is pretty shocked by the discourse and content of the campaigns. Americans and foreigners alike seem to be confused about what is happening, why it is happening and what will happen next. In this uncertainty, the cacophony of opinions is overly negative. It is easy to forget that these phases occur regularly in American history and that they are actually beneficial to society. They have helped make America unique in the world. For outsiders, it helps to remember that culture is complex and shifting. I could never expect my European friends to understand the full context of this election.
The first aspect is to understand the relationship between the American people and their government. Abraham Lincoln made one of the most famous speeches in American history and said we have a "government of the people, by the people, for the people". In most elections, the question is whether the government embodies these principles. But this election is different because American society is simultaneously debating who we are as a people. At the foundation of all the debates and accusations is a discussion about which values define American culture and society. Without answering these questions, a government is not possible.
So why now?
This election is the product of a string events, decisions and trends over the past two decades which have gone unresolved. When history books of the future write about early 21st century America, they will write about major shifts in international policy, social trends and economic activity. They will write about time in which Americans questioned their position on justice, equality, liberty, compassion, tolerance and solidarity, among others. Not only that, it will be a time when Americans even questioned the meaning of 'truth'. These are not simple questions and they take time, and even conflict, to find an answer.
I believe most Americans underestimated the level of reflection needed. I certainly did. After all, the last time US society faced similar questions was 50 years ago. What we have learned during the election campaign is that talking about the government was not enough, we needed to talk about ourselves.
Although this discussion has been long delayed there are a few key reasons why it is happening now. First, the government has failed to function over the last six years. This is understandable, it is a government of the people, by the people. If we don't know who we are, the government ceases to function. After six years, it was time for us to have a talk. The second reason is that the election process produced two archetypes of American culture. Clinton and Trump accurately embody the differences in American values (I'll get to Sanders later). But like all archetypes, they are the extreme examples of these differences. Clinton and Trump are not an accident, they are for the people. Watching them debate and discuss is simply watching millions of Americans trying to figure out who we are as a people. Each person sees a little of themselves in the discussion.
So why is it happening like this?
Most outsiders and many Americans are asking why the campaign is not about policies. Where are education, healthcare, Syria in the debate? But the point is that none of that matters now. For example, we cannot make a policy on Syria and Russia until we figure out what role we want to play in the world. We have to first dig deep and scratch at the wounds of the War on Terror, the deception that lead to the war in Iraq, how we feel about spreading democracy abroad, etc.. America did this after Vietnam, it is not completely new.
So for the most part the campaign is a character race, as it should be. This campaign has caused every American to question how they feel about issues like gender, race, globalization and capitalism. We are even questioning whether our constitution can survive in the modern era. It may seem hyped to debate a quarterback kneeling during the national anthem or whether Clinton did favors for donors, but these simple cases lead to fundamental questions. It is ugly, but it is also these fundamental questions which make it so fascinating and reflective.
We are watching a period of extremely rapid change in America.
What will happen next?
The presidential election has a deadline, but it seems clear that the discussion will not be completely finished by November 8th. But progress has been made. It appears we have dug deep enough that we are finding common values on justice and equality. Additionally, it looks like we are starting to find common ground on the negative effects of globalization. I believe this upheaval has been extremely positive for gender and race values as well as for dealing with poverty and opportunity.
For example, the video of Donald Trump on the bus has advanced society in terms of gender equality better than anything in the last thirty years. The campaign has united Americans around the principle that it is 'our' government. Progress will be made and the government will start to function again, albeit it with limits.
Unfortunately, the process will not be complete. One of the drawbacks of the system was that Bernie Sanders was eliminated from the discussion before we solved the issue of capitalism. We have not been able to finish this discussion and it will continue to haunt society until we have time to figure out who we are on this topic.
There is also the chance that things will get worse before they get better. Like most therapy situations, people only change when they have hit rock bottom. The last time this happened in American history, it took several assassinations, many murders (lynchings and college students), countless riots and beatings, a presidential resignation and a whole lot of cultural artifacts (music, movies, memorials, etc.) to find out who we are. Perhaps we haven't reached the bottom yet, but I am optimistic that we will find ourselves faster than our ancestors.
The end result
America will continue to be unique and will actually be better than it was before. The reflection hurts and it will probably continue to hurt, but it is healthy. It is needed. It is actually quite normal. America has never been stagnant, and it should never be. It is the land of permanent revolution. People change and when you are a government of the people, by the people and for the people, sometimes it is ugly.
