Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior

Black Americans are the most unified racial group in American electoral politics, with 80-90% identifying as Democrats. Ideological change has failed to push more Black Americans into the Republican Party due to the specificity of the Black American experience and social pressure. Ismail White and Chryl Laird argue that the roots of Black political unity were established through slavery and segregation, and that the social experience of race for Black Americans is fundamental to their political choices. They explore where and how Black political norms are enforced, what this means for the future of Black politics, and how this framework can be used to understand the electoral behavior of other communities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 05 October 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

A groundbreaking examination of how group expectations unite Black Americans in their support of the Democratic party reveals a surprising phenomenon: Black Americans are by far the most cohesive racial group in American electoral politics, with 80 to 90 percent identifying as Democrats. This figure is remarkable, considering that nearly a third of Black Americans now also identify as ideologically conservative, a significant increase from less than 10 percent in the 1970s. The question remains: why has ideological change failed to attract more Black Americans to the Republican Party?

Steadfast Democrats provides a novel theory to answer this question, emphasizing the uniqueness of the Black American experience and highlighting social pressure as the primary factor in Black Americans unwavering support for the Democratic Party. Ismail White and Chryl Laird argue that the roots of Black political unity were established during the challenging times of slavery and segregation, when Black Americans forged exceptionally strong social bonds for survival and resistance. These tight-knit communities have continued to produce and enforce political norms, including Democratic Party identification in the post-Civil Rights era. Thus, the social experience of race plays a fundamental role in shaping Black Americans' political choices.

Black voters are uniquely influenced by the social expectations of other Black Americans to prioritize the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality. When making their political decisions, this social expectation translates into affiliation with the Democratic Party. Through a fresh analysis of survey data and original experiments, White and Laird explore the mechanisms through which Black political norms are enforced, the implications for the future of Black politics, and how this framework can be applied to understand electoral behavior.

Weight: 398g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691228983