Politics
Charts: America’s Political Divide, 1994–2017
Original animation from Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (October 2017).
Charts: America’s Political Divide, From 1994–2017
Politics can be a hot button topic in America. With rising tensions on both sides of the political spectrum, some claim that bipartisanship is dead. Recent research shows that may well be true.
Today’s charts come from a report by the independent think tank Pew Research on the partisan divide between the two major U.S. political parties, Democrats and Republicans.
The data is based on surveys of over 5,000 adults to gauge public sentiment, tracking the dramatic shifts in political polarization in the U.S. from 1994 to 2017. The results are a fascinating deep dive into America’s shifting political sentiment.
Over Two Decades of Differences
The animation above demonstrates how the political divide by party has grown significantly and consistently over 23 years. In 1994, the general public was more mixed in their allegiances, but a significant divergence started to occur from 2011 onward.
By 2017, the divide had significantly shifted towards the two extremes of the consistently liberal/conservative scale. Median Democrat and Republican sentiment also moved further apart, especially for politically engaged Americans.
How have Americans’ feelings across major issues evolved over time?
NOTE: For brevity, any mention of Democrats and Republicans in the post below will also refer to survey respondents who “lean Democratic/ lean Republican”.
Americans on the Economy
Original charts from Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (October 2017).
Several survey questions were designed to assess Americans’ perceptions of the economy. Surprisingly, between 60–70% of Democrats and Republicans agree that U.S. involvement in the global economy is positive, because it provides the country with access to new markets.
However, they diverge when asked about the fairness of the economic system itself. 50% of Republicans think it is fair to most Americans, but 82% of Democrats think it unfairly favors powerful interests.
Finally, 73% of Democrats think corporations make ‘too much’ profit, while only 43% of Republicans think so. Since 1994, Democrats have become more convinced of this point, gaining 10 percentage points (p.p.), while Republican impressions have fluctuated marginally.
Americans on the Environment
Original charts from Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (October 2017).
When it comes to climate change, both Democrats and Republicans see that there is growing evidence for global warming, but they are not sold on the reasons why. 78% of Democrats see human activity as the cause, while only 24% of Republicans agree.
Americans also disagree on whether stricter sustainability laws are worth the cost—77% of Democrats think so, but only 36% of Republicans are on the same page. The position of Democrats on this issue has increased by 11 p.p. since 1994, but dropped by double (22 p.p.) for Republicans during this time.
Americans on the Government
Original charts from Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (October 2017).
Americans are highly concerned about the U.S. presence on the global stage. Over half (56%) of Democrats think the U.S. should be active in world affairs, while 54% of Republicans think such attention should be focused inward instead of overseas.
This filters into what they consider the best strategy for peace—83% of Democrats believe in democracy to achieve this, while only 33% of Republicans agree, preferring military strength instead. Democrats have cemented their position on diplomacy by 17 p.p. since 1994, growing the political divide.
Americans on Their Society
Original charts from Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (October 2017).
On several social issues, both parties have become more liberal in their opinions over the decades, especially on immigration and homosexuality. Democrats have seen the biggest advancement on their views of immigration, from 32% in favor in 1994, to 84% in 2017.
However, there’s still a wide partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans on their ideas of government aid (51 p.p. gap), racial equality (45 p.p. gap), immigration (42 p.p. gap), and homosexuality (29 p.p. gap).
Americans on Each Other
Original charts from Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (October 2017).
It’s evident that not only does the American public hold less of a mix of liberal and conservative values, but the center of this political divide has also moved dramatically on both ends of the spectrum. In simple terms, it means that Americans are less willing to consider the other side of debates, preferring to stay entrenched in the group think of their political affiliation.
Not only this, but partisan animosity is on the rise—81% of Republicans and Democrats find those belonging to the other party equally unfavorable. In fact, both parties have seen a 28 p.p. increase in ‘very unfavorable’ views of people in the other party, compared to 1994.
Can the Rift be Repaired?
While the above data on group polarization ends in 2017, it’s clear that the repercussions continue to have ripple effects into today and the future. These differences mean there is no consensus on the nation’s key priorities.
In 2019, Republicans believe that terrorism, the economy, social security, immigration, and the military should be top of mind, while Democrats refer to healthcare, education, environment, Medicare, and the poor and needy as their leads.
With Trump’s presidential term up for contest in 2020, the lack of common ground on pressing issues will continue to cause a stir among both Democratic and Republican bases. Is there anything Americans will be willing to cross the aisle for?
Politics
A Century of Unions in Europe (1920-2022)
This year marks 100 years since the birth of the Soviet Union. How have countries in and near Europe aligned themselves over the last century?

Timeline: A Century of Unions in Europe (1920-2022)
On February 24th, Russia invaded Ukraine launching one of the biggest wars on European soil since World War II. The invasion reflects a longstanding belief of Russia’s that Ukraine—and much of the Soviet Union’s former republics and satellite states—is still their territory to claim. But what is the “former glory” of Russia?
Of the USSR’s former republics and satellite states, many have moved on to join the European Union, and in Putin’s eyes have become more “Westernized” and further from Russian values. In fact, Ukraine recently had its candidacy status approved with the EU.
It’s now been a full century since the formation of the USSR. Much has changed since then, and this visual timeline breaks down how countries within and near Europe have aligned themselves over those 100 years.
The USSR / Soviet Union
The Soviet Union—officially titled the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)—was formed 100 years ago in 1922 and was dissolved in 1991 almost 70 years later. At its height it was home to 15 republics, over 286 million people, and stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Ukraine, with virtual control and influence in countries as far west as East Germany.
Notable leaders characterized both the rise and fall of the USSR, starting with its establishment under Vladimir Lenin until the union’s dissolution under Mikhail Gorbachev. Latvia and Lithuania were among the first republics to make the move for sovereignty, beginning the demise of the Soviet Union.
Here’s a look at which modern day countries were a part of the USSR.
Modern Day Country | Name Under USSR | Date Joined | Date Gained Independence |
---|---|---|---|
🇬🇪 Georgia | Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1922 | 1991 |
🇺🇦 Ukraine | Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1922 | 1991 |
🇦🇲 Armenia | Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1922 | 1991 |
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic | 1922 | 1991 |
🇧🇾 Belarus | Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1922 | 1991 |
🇷🇺 Russia | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic | 1922 | 1991 |
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic | 1924 | 1991 |
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic | 1924 | 1991 |
🇹🇯 Tajikistan | Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic | 1929 | 1991 |
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic | 1936 | 1991 |
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic | 1936 | 1991 |
🇱🇹 Lithuania | Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1940 | 1990 |
🇪🇪 Estonia | Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1940 | 1991 |
🇱🇻 Latvia | Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1940 | 1990 |
🇲🇩 Moldova | Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic | 1940 | 1991 |
Additionally, there were multiple satellite states, which were not formally joined with the USSR, but operated under intense Soviet influence.
Modern Day Country | Country Name at the Time |
---|---|
🇦🇱 Albania | People's Republic of Albania |
🇵🇱 Poland | Polish People's Republic |
🇧🇬 Bulgaria | People's Republic of Bulgaria |
🇷🇴 Romania | Romanian People's Republic |
🇨🇿 Czechia | Czechoslovak Socialist Republic |
🇸🇰 Slovakia | Czechoslovak Socialist Republic |
🇩🇪 Germany | East Germany (German Democratic Republic) |
🇭🇺 Hungary | Hungarian People's Republic |
🇸🇮 Slovenia | Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia |
🇭🇷 Croatia | Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia |
🇷🇸 Serbia | Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia |
🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia |
🇲🇪 Montenegro | Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia |
🇲🇰 North Macedonia | Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia |
🇲🇳 Mongolia | Mongolian People's Republic |
Today, there are still some countries that align themselves with Putin and Russia over the EU.
Belarus, sometimes called Europe’s “last dictatorship”, shares a border with both Ukraine and Russia and facilitated the entry of Russian soldiers into Ukraine. Furthermore, according to the Pentagon, Russian missiles have been launched from Belarus.
The European Union
The European Union was officially formed in 1993 and has 27 member states. Some former USSR republics are now a part of the union including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The most recent member to join was Croatia in 2013.
The EU has its roots in the European Coal & Steel Community which was formed in 1952 with Italy, France, West Germany and a few other countries comprising its first members. There are currently six candidate countries on track to join the EU — all but one were either former Soviet satellite states or formal republics:
- 🇦🇱 Albania
- 🇲🇪 Montenegro
- 🇲🇰 North Macedonia
- 🇷🇸 Serbia
- 🇹🇷 Turkey
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine
- 🇲🇩 Moldova
There are many reasons countries opt to join the EU: a common currency, easier movement of goods and people between national borders, and, of course, military protection.
However, in 2020 the UK formally left the union, making it the first country in history to do so. Here’s a look at every EU member state.
EU Member States | Year Joined | Former USSR Republic? | Former USSR Satellite State? |
---|---|---|---|
🇦🇹 Austria | 1995 | No | No |
🇧🇪 Belgium | 1952 | No | No |
🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 2007 | No | Yes |
🇭🇷 Croatia | 2013 | No | Yes |
🇨🇾 Cyprus | 2004 | No | No |
🇨🇿 Czechia | 2004 | No | Yes |
🇩🇰 Denmark | 1973 | No | No |
🇪🇪 Estonia | 2004 | Yes | -- |
🇫🇮 Finland | 1995 | No | No |
🇫🇷 France | 1952 | No | No |
🇩🇪 Germany | 1952 | No | Yes (East Germany) |
🇬🇷 Greece | 1981 | No | No |
🇭🇺 Hungary | 2004 | No | Yes |
🇮🇪 Ireland | 1973 | No | No |
🇮🇹 Italy | 1952 | No | No |
🇱🇻 Latvia | 2004 | Yes | -- |
🇱🇹 Lithuania | 2004 | Yes | -- |
🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 1952 | No | No |
🇲🇹 Malta | 2004 | No | No |
🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1952 | No | No |
🇵🇱 Poland | 2004 | No | Yes |
🇵🇹 Portugal | 1986 | No | No |
🇷🇴 Romania | 2007 | No | Yes |
🇸🇰 Slovakia | 2004 | No | Yes |
🇸🇮 Slovenia | 2004 | No | Yes |
🇪🇸 Spain | 1986 | No | No |
🇸🇪 Sweden | 1995 | No | No |
Ukraine’s Outlook
The iron curtain that was draped across Europe, which used to divide the continent politically and ideologically, has since been drawn back. But the war in Ukraine is a threat to many in Europe, and countries such as Poland have voiced fears about the spillover of conflict.
In late June, the European Council approved Ukraine’s bid for expedited candidacy to the EU, but the process will still likely be lengthy—for example, it took Croatia 10 years to formally join at the normal pace.
Beyond other needs such as military support, joining the union would allow refugees from Ukraine the freedom to migrate and work in other EU countries with ease.
Misc
Missing Migrants: Visualizing Lost Lives Along the Mediterranean Sea
Each year, thousands of migrants take the journey along the Eastern Mediterranean to get to the EU. Some never make it to their destination.

Missing Migrants: Lost Lives Along the Mediterranean Sea
Each year, thousands of migrants flee war-torn countries in search of asylum.
Even before the migrant crisis caused by the Russo-Ukrainian War, Europe has been the focal point in the past decade. Many refugees from conflicts in Africa and Asia, including those from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and have traveled to Europe along the Eastern Mediterranean migration route—a dangerous passage across the Aegean Sea that weaves along the coastlines of Greece and Turkey.
The journey to reach Europe is risky, and some of the migrants who attempt the crossing never make it. Using data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), this map by Elbie Bentley visualizes the reported deaths and disappearances along the Eastern Mediterranean from 2014 to 2021.
Inspired by Levi Westerveld’s Those Who Did Not Cross, each lost life is captured with its own dot, in an effort to humanize the data.
The 2015 European Crisis
1,863 deaths and disappearances were reported along the Eastern Mediterranean between the years of 2014 and 2021.
Almost half of those recordings came from 2015 during the European migrant crisis, when a record-breaking one million people sought asylum in the EU.
About 800,000 of the one million migrants traveled to Greece through Turkey, with many of the refugees escaping Syria’s civil war.
European Migrant Crisis by Year | Reported deaths and disappearances |
---|---|
2014 | 101 |
2015 | 804 |
2016 | 434 |
2017 | 62 |
2018 | 174 |
2019 | 71 |
2020 | 106 |
2021 | 111 |
In an attempt to control the situation, the EU and Turkey signed a migration deal in March 2016 that agreed to send back migrants who did not receive official permission to enter the EU.
Though the agreement drastically reduced the number of people traveling through Turkey to Greece, thousands still make the dangerous journey across the Aegean Sea each year. In 2021, 111 people were reported dead or missing along the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Dangerous Journey
According to the International Organization for Migration, the most common cause of death along the Eastern Mediterranean is drowning.
While the journey is only 5.4 nautical miles or less, transportation conditions to Greece are not always safe. Boats are sometimes forced into tumultuous waters, according to migrants who’ve experienced the journey firsthand.
And these boats are often severely underequipped and overcrowded—rubber dinghies designed to carry a dozen people are sometimes loaded with up to 60 passengers.
Safer means of transportation are available, but the costs are steep. According to Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, it could cost a family an average of €10,000 to travel by yacht.
Rescue Efforts for Migrants is Needed
Further complicating the dangerous journey is a lack of rescue resources.
According to a 2021 report by IOM, the EU does not currently have a dedicated search and rescue team. Instead, the onus is on individual states to patrol their own waters.
Until the crisis is better addressed or local conflicts begin to resolve, there will be an urgent need for increased rescue operations and a standardized migration protocol to help mitigate the number of migrant deaths and disappearances each year.
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