Obama decries polarization, touts 'power of pluralism'

Former President Obama denounced political polarization Thursday, while praising the "power of pluralism" during remarks at the 2024 Democracy Forum in Chicago.

Obama, who has been back in the spotlight since stumping for Vice President Harris on the campaign trail, admitted that while pluralism may not be a word that the public uses every day, it's still a familiar concept.

"The concept of pluralism should [be] and is actually familiar to all of us," the former Democratic president said. "It means that in a democracy, we all have to find a way to live alongside individuals and groups who are different than us."

"So, we commit to a system of rules and habits that help us peacefully resolve our disputes; we try to cultivate habits — those practices that encourage us not just to tolerate each other but also, every so often, join together in collective action," he added.

Though, as Obama touted the theory of pluralism, he signaled there are aspects of the concept in practice that should be addressed.

"The biggest reason that American pluralism seemed to be working so well mainly had to do with who it left out. The fact is, for most of our history, our democracy was built on top of a deeply entrenched caste system — formal and informal, based on race and gender and class and sexual orientation," he said. "A system that excluded or severely limited big chunks of the population from the corridors of power."

Obama — who served in the U.S. Senate from 2005 to 2008 — described how he was the only African American member of the upper chamber when he was sworn in, and only the third since Reconstruction. As of 2024, there have only been 12 Black senators, though that number will increase next year following last month's election.

"It's fair to say that when everyone in Washington looked the same and shared the same experiences and were in the men's side of the Senate gym, because the kind of just women had a closet that they had modified, cutting deals and getting along was a whole lot simpler," he said.

The former president then went on to condemn polarization and how he views the media's role in spreading it.

"It is almost now complete, with each party more and more uniform in its beliefs and less tolerant of dissenting views," Obama told the crowd. "Media companies have figured out that there's profit in playing to the extremes."

"Since that's what gets attention, politicians, party leaders, and interest groups are incentivized to take a maximalist position on almost every issue," he added.

Despite the challenges, Obama expressed optimism for the "idea of pluralism."

"Can the idea of pluralism work in the current moment? And, for that matter, is the concept even worth saving? I believe the answer is yes," he said.

"I am convinced that if we want democracy, as we understand it, to survive, then we're all going to have to work towards a renewed commitment to pluralist principles," the former president added.