identity politics is a clear and present danger to liberal democracy. It fragments the body politic and balkanises society. It discourages talk about the common good. It can quickly turn into the politics of grievance and competitive victimhood. This creates a vicious circle of social divisions leading to divisive politics that deepen and harden social divisions. It is one of the causes of the Us-versus-Them mentality that leads to populism, which itself, as we have seen, is a warning signal of democracy in danger.
