The Death and Life of the New Democrats

This essay analyzes the rise and fall of the New Democrats as a faction within the Democratic Party; it treats their emergence in the 1980's, their ideological underpinnings, and some of their political and policy accomplishments. The decline of the New Democrats in the 21st century is explained by examining four factors: (1) the character of their ideas, (2) the rise of partisan polarization, (3) the challenges of minority party status, and (4) the emergence of a reenergized "progressive" coalition on their left flank. The aim here is to shed light on the important subject of the rise and fall of factions in American party politics.