THE OVERTON WINDOW
Have you ever heard of ‘The Overton Window?’
How does it affect us directly?
The Overton Window is a blueprint for understanding how ideas in society evolve over time and influence politics. How do some ideas seem to normalize over time yet some ideas initially seemed ridiculous or unthinkable before? How does the dial of public opinion move towards one extreme or another, especially on certain issues?
Pushing the Overton window means that policy introduces new vocabulary and ideas on the axis which convinces the public’s opinion to shift. In simple words it goes like this:
The idea is unthinkable.
Then following this politician comes up with a very controversial idea, but he’s being criticized by even bringing that up.
The idea was introduced to the public.
It gains some following
In time the following grows.
Then, if enough people follow and repeat this new idea in the public debate it turns from “unthinkable” to “it’s possible”
This is why in some countries — the ‘unthinkable’ is the norm, and by introducing foreign norms pushes the window. Therefore introducing new ideas to society is a good thing and with time helps it shift — we will see later on in the video how this change works. Defenders of current, or similar, policies inside the window seek to convince people that policies outside the window should be considered unacceptable. Lawmakers are really in the business of detecting where the window is and then coming to agree with it.
Although the Overton Window can change and expand, either by increasing or reducing the number of ideas, politicians are able to support political proposals without risking their electoral support. Sometimes politicians can move the Overton Window themselves by bravely endorsing a policy which is outside the window, but this is not common. More often, the window moves on the basis of a much more complex and dynamic phenomenon, one which is not easily controlled from power: it is the slow evolution of social values and norms.
Let’s look at 3 examples where the Overton window is present on different topics and how it evolves driven by new ideas and trends.
The Dictator effect
Trump has lost the most recent Election for President of the United States, although the effects on the Overton window in American society are irrefutable. The way of seeing and doing things in the United States has completely changed as a result of his mandate. I will never forget his speech when he announced his candidacy for his first term as president. When he said that the Mexicans who came to the United States are generally drug traffickers, criminals and rapists, and only in some cases good people. By making such an absurd comment, he immediately pushes the Overton window in that direction and normalizes or sensitizes the population to the immigration policies that were subsequently applied. This will be the new standard, which has already been normalized and will remain until it is pushed again.
It should come as no surprise that after 4 years of his tenure, American society is more polarized than ever. Movements like Antifa and Black lives matter on the one hand yet right-wing militias and white supremacist groups on the other. Each with a completely polarized worldview trying to move the overton window further and further in their direction.
Another example of a world leader who has pushed the Overton Window is Vladimir Putin. Putin has utilized the Media to his benefit by targeting “the defenseless [Russian] television viewer and gradually led them to the thought that freedom is slavery and black is white.” Analysts observing from the outside have wondered if the country as a whole has lost their minds. But it is important to recognize how Putin puppet-ed the nation of Russia for his benefit.
The Political Analyst Mikhail Komin, whose arguments focus on how this situation came into play. The theory he considers is the ‘Rational Choice Theory’ which assumes that the individuals observing and listening to Putin are intelligent and egotistic. Their individual interests are to maximize what they find works to their benefit and aims to minimize the efforts which they have to inject in order to achieve what they are aiming for. The least amount of time which people need to search for information is within their interest, so that they can consume as much information as possible. The reason why this works in Putin’s favor is because; if people can consume information very quickly, they are less likely to look for information elsewhere. Komin stated that this use of the media “leads to the domination in society of a single point of view,” This encourages the majority of people to incorporate the views directed at them into their own beliefs.
Abortion
Abortion is a topic which has divided many countries beliefs and is typically used as a tool, playing into societies religious beliefs, in order to sway them to their side especially in elections. This was clearly represented in the recent election for the United States of America. Donald Trump made it clear that he did not support abortion, which heavily tapped into the Conservatives in America due to most of them having extreme Catholic beliefs. As opposed to Joe Biden’s stance which was about protecting a woman’s right to choose — thus keeping abortion accessible and legal in America. Both parties used the Overton window to their benefit by tapping into the common public opinion depending on their party.
A prominent country which has used the Overton Window in an extreme sense on the topic of abortion — is the Philippines. In the Philippines it is not only illegal to have an abortion, it is also criminalized. Not only this, but there are no exceptions — even in the case of rape or incest. This has been the case for over 100 years from when it was first made illegal in 1870 under Spanish Colonial Law. This law has not prevented abortion, it has just increased the amount of unsafe procedures which take place and make it potentially deadly for the over half a million woman which try to terminate their pregnancies. In 2008, it was recorded that there were at least 1000 deaths due to the criminal abortion ban and at least 90,000 complications. The numbers are assumed to be a lot higher than this. The reason why there is such a strong stigma surrounding abortion in the Philippines is perpetrated by the Government of the Philippines. The government adheres to the demands of the Catholic Church. Not only is abortion an criminal act but on top of this women are deprived of reproductive health services, access to contraception for women in poverty (which is most of the population), family planning counselling and sex education. The women of the Philippines are therefore left with nothing to control their fertility and are subjected to abuse in the health care system.
Gay marriage
It is impossible to generalize on this subject as the legislation varies in most countries, so we will look at a few examples. Countries like Mexico and Costa Rica have a window which is oriented towards Freedom and inclusion. Like most of the countries of South America for example; Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador.
In Mexico, the first form of recognition of homosexual couples within the country was granted through the Law of Coexistence Society, approved by the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City in 2006. At present, equal marriage is allowed in 19 states, but in those which it is not, those which have celebrated other jurisdictions should be recognized. Additionally there is the Civil Union in two states which is an alternative to marriage. In Costa Rica there has been recognition of same-sex couples since 2002 by the Executive Branch and based on the interpretation of the General Law of the Young Person.
The other extreme are countries such as Guatemala, Panama where unions which were made in other countries are recognized. Even more so in the extreme countries such as Bolivia and Honduras where there are constitutional limitations on homosexual unions and marriages.
Something similar happens in Europe. In countries like Spain and France at one extreme and with countries like Poland and Hungary at the other extreme. Spain and France are among the most liberal countries when it comes to LGBT rights. Where about’s the Polish Government is extremely against this, in October 2019 there was a survey conducted by Ipsos which found that the majority of Polish men under the age of 40 believe that ‘’The LGBT movement and Gender Ideology’’ is the ‘’biggest threat facing them in the 21st Century.’’ Additionally, ‘LGBT ideology-free zones’ were incorporated into more than 80 zones across Poland, encompassing about a third of the Country.
Pope Francis has caused quite a stir on the issue with his support for homosexual unions. This ultimately helps push the overton window in the direction of inclusion and tolerance of homosexual couples in the different Catholic societies of the world. People like the Pope with his great global influence have the ability to push the window.
It is curious to see how there seems to be a relationship between relative wealth and general attitudes regarding the issue in both regions. We can see the gross domestic product per capita and it seems that with the exception of Panama there is a correlation. Do you think it is related or it is a mere coincidence? Please leave your opinion in the comments section.
In an increasingly emotional and irrational world, we must try to stay away from extremes and irrationality. By taking a look at day-to-day issues from different perspectives and with common sense. Analyzing the pros and cons of all policies and situations and identifying where they lead us. We should use more of our intellect and less of our emotions.
