Example Image
Civitas Outlook
Topic
Politics
Published on
Apr 24, 2025
Contributors
Joel Kotkin
Photo by Pea on Unsplash

The Dangers of the Political Gender Gap

Contributors
Joel Kotkin
Joel Kotkin
Senior Research Fellow
Joel Kotkin
Summary
Young women and men are gravitating towards opposite political extremes, with potentially explosive consequences.
Summary
Young women and men are gravitating towards opposite political extremes, with potentially explosive consequences.
Listen to this article

Throughout history, poverty, class and economic self-interest have driven radical political movements. The Bolsheviks harnessed the anger of impoverished workers and peasants to create a movement that controlled the world’s biggest country for seven decades. The Nazis came to power due to both the Great Depression and resentment towards a small but economically nimble Jewish community.

Today, extremist politics is not bubbling up primarily from the economically disaffected, as occurred both in medieval and modern times during periods of upheaval. The self-professed radicals of our age seem more driven by their own inner cultural angst and disturbed psychology.

This angst is now expressed increasingly with violence, from the well-funded campaign against weirdo-genius Elon Musk, which includes arson attacks on Teslas, to the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, the most destructive outbreak of civil disorder in US history, as well as the awful ‘January 6’ riots. Blood-curdling rhetoric now comes even from the once respectable political class. Democratic congresswoman Jasmine Crockett wants Musk ‘taken down’ and says that Democrats have to be ‘okay with punching’. One study suggests that nearly 38 per cent of respondents and over half of ‘progressives’ would see the assassination of Donald Trump as ‘justified’.

Continue reading at Spiked

10:13
1x
10:13
More articles

Becoming All-American

Pursuit of Happiness
Mar 6, 2026

In Defense of Israel’s Legitimacy

Pursuit of Happiness
Mar 5, 2026
View all

Join the newsletter

Receive new publications, news, and updates from the Civitas Institute.

Sign up
More on

Politics

National Civitas Institute Poll: Americans are Anxious and Frustrated, Creating a Challenging Environment for Leaders

The poll reveals a deeply pessimistic American electorate, with a majority convinced the nation is on the wrong track.

Politics
Feb 19, 2026
Liberal Democracy Reexamined: Leo Strauss on Alexis de Tocqueville

This article explores Leo Strauss’s thoughts on Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1954 “Natural Right” course transcript.

Raúl Rodríguez
Politics
Feb 25, 2025
Long Distance Migration as a Two-Step Sorting Process: The Resettlement of Californians in Texas

Here we press the question of whether the well-documented stream of migrants relocating from California to Texas has been sufficient to alter the political complexion of the destination state.

James Gimpel, Daron Shaw
Politics
Feb 6, 2025
Who's That Knocking? A Study of the Strategic Choices Facing Large-Scale Grassroots Canvassing Efforts

Although there is a consensus that personalized forms of campaign outreach are more likely to be effective at either mobilizing or even persuading voters, there remains uncertainty about how campaigns should implement get-out-the-vote (GOTV) programs, especially at a truly expansive scale.

Grant Ferguson, James Gimpel, Mark Owens, Daron Shaw
Politics
Dec 13, 2024

The Three Whiskey Happy Hour

Steven Hayward brings you the Power Line Blog's perspective on the week's big headlines.

View all
** items
California’s Green Policies Destroy Blue-Collar Jobs

The problem here lies not with racism, or lack of reparations, as Newsom and “progressives” insist, but with their own policies, which devastate minority communities.

Joel Kotkin
Politics
Feb 28, 2026
There's a Perception Gap With the U.S. Economy

As we approach another election cycle, it’s worth asking: what’s real, what’s political theater, and what does it all mean if Democrats regain control of the House?

Charity-Joy Acchiardo & G. Dirk Mateer
Politics
Feb 2, 2026
California Wealth Tax Backers Ignore Proposition 13 Lessons

While the tax would be a “one-time event,” nothing would prohibit similar initiatives in the future.

Jonathan Hartley, Arthur Laffer
Politics
Jan 25, 2026
International Law Is Holding Democracies Back

The United States should use this moment to argue for a different approach to the rules of war.

Politics
Jan 25, 2026

Trump’s Iran Operation Is Legal, Just, and Overdue

Politics
Mar 3, 2026
1:05

‘Big Difference’ Between Investigating a Sitting and Former President: Ex-dDeputy Assistant AG

Politics
Mar 3, 2026
1:05

Richard Reinsch Warns of Escalating Political Retaliation as Debate Turns to Conservatism, Violence, and Executive Power

Politics
Feb 23, 2026
1:05

John Yoo urges Supreme Court to ‘let democracy work’ in trans athlete case

Politics
Jan 13, 2026
1:05

Kotkin: Non-Aligned Nations Navigating a Multipolar World

Politics
Aug 19, 2025
1:05
No items found.
No items found.
The Not-So Reckless Attack on Iran

The Iranian government does not have either the leadership or the resources to mount any sustained military response to the forces arrayed against it. 

Richard Epstein
Politics
Mar 4, 2026
The Healthcare Symposium

We’ve asked James Capretta, Sally Pipes, and Avik Roy to opine on the future of healthcare policy in America.

Richard M. Reinsch II
Politics
Mar 4, 2026
Reforming Health Care

Market-driven reform should be compared with the alternative its critics prefer: price regulation.

James C. Capretta
Politics
Mar 4, 2026
Stop Subsidizing Insurers, Start Empowering Patients

Policymakers need to shift power away from third-party payers and back to patients.

Sally C. Pipes
Politics
Mar 4, 2026
No items found.