U.S. Culture Wars and Ron Desantis in Florida

Ron DeSantis is a Floridian governor, currently the 46th to hold the position. Since 2019, he has been at the center of a plethora of political controversy due to his policies on education, COVID, and the environment. Often promoting extreme-right views such as supporting gun rights and signing bills that loosen gun ownership laws, he has caused further societal polarization in the U.S., especially during the culture wars.

Culture wars refer to an ongoing conflict within socio-political groups in the U.S. over social, political, economic, and moral values. The two main groups involved are the left (Democrats) and the right (Republicans), with the left advocating for progressive views that prioritize personal freedom and worker support, while the right tends to support traditional values and individual freedom. Despite their opposing views, both parties are closely competitive and often spark nationwide debates on social issues.

The U.S. culture wars are likely to be a significant factor in the 2024 presidential election as it is expected to be highly polarized, with the left and the right continuing to clash with great credit to politicians like Ron DeSantis, placing many at the extreme ends of the political spectrum.

The DeSantis administration of Florida defines “woke ideology” as “the belief that there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them.” . According to The Washington Post, contrary to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)”. The term “woke” has been receiving more attention recently amid the fierce culture wars waging across the United States. But political beliefs largely shape “woke”. On the left, being “woke” means you are an active social justice advocate aware of contemporary political concerns; on the right, “woke” is a disapproving term to describe extreme liberals in matters of racial and social justice. DeSantis, an extreme Republican, has stated that “woke ideology” is a concept similar to “cultural Marxism” and that he, as the state governor of Florida, will protect Florida from it through education and institutional reforms. Accordingly, the Stop W.O.K.E. (Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees) Act was passed in 2022 in Florida which prohibited all instruction on race relations or diversity that implies a person's status as either privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by his or her race, color, national origin, or sex. DeSantis’ Stop W.O.K.E. Act was followed by education reform policies that were controversial among many students and parents.

DeSantis has been under fire for banning education on sexual orientation from kindergarten to third graders. Healso banned AP African-American studies on queer-related content and the so-called "political agenda". By the government regulating information under the terms of "political correctness", asymmetric information occurs, and the government loses its reputation from the LGBTQ+ community which is significantly harmful to the long-term economy as the government loses its potential supporters. This outraged students and citizens, who argued that these changes were anti-history and anti-black. Some African American students and teachers are boycotting schools, fighting for fair courses and rights. Causing confusion and changes in the Florida school system. Ron DeSantis’ actions are causing deep conflict between different cultural backgrounds, mainly races, and LGBTQ cultures. This may lead to economic disadvantages in the future as more people oppose Florida’s policy. This means that consumer behavior among Florida organizations will shift, decreasing the profit drastically. Moreover, this could limit Florida’s global economic growth.

More significantly, Disneyland which is one of the landmarks of Florida did not express much of a position on the following political agenda in the very first place. However, there was a backlash from the LGBTQ+ community that criticized it. 75,000 Disney employees issued a protest statement and broke out on strike. This is a clear delineation that Disneyland is losing potential consumer groups but also potential revenue gained by potential consumers. To assuage the backlash, DisneyLand CEO Bob Iger belatedly announced that he would not donate political funds to Florida politicians. This shows that the government loses its potential revenue gain which is considered a misallocation of resources. Furthermore, against Bob Iger's action, Republican politicians in Florida, including Ron DeSantis passed a bill that deprives Orlando of its status as the "Reedy Creek Improvement District," which treats Disneyland as its own administrative unit. As soon as Ron DeSantis signs the bill, it will revoke the 1968 “special tax zone” designation. This shows that the Culture War and Ron DeSantis’ aggressive action is clearly a form of political retaliation. As a result, society will lose its benefits and the market will fail.

Speaking of U.S. culture wars, they refer to a conflict between social groups (most often political groups) over beliefs, values, and cultural norms. In the U.S., the term ‘culture war’ primarily recognizes the socio-economic debates between the conservative right and the liberal left. Political polarization in the U.S. can have significant effects on the economy in the following ways:
Consumer Behavior: People may boycott or avoid certain companies due to their socio-political values–leading to revenue losses.
Tourism: People may avoid traveling to certain states for their political stances. This will impact the tourism industry, including hotels, car rents, restaurants, etc.
Immigration: Government policies regarding immigration are also a heavily debated factor, and thus changes in such policies may impact the labor force and the cost of goods and services depending on immigrant labor.
Global Trade/Investment: Although unlikely to impact the U.S.A specifically due to its prominent international standing, some nations may be reluctant to continue business with a divided, thus unstable country.
Government Spending: Last but not least, changing policies regarding healthcare, education, and other (mostly public) goods and services may alter the concentration of government funding in each respective area.

Consumer behavior, in particular, is a major component that determines an economy. Northern Carolina's ‘Bathroom Bill’ controversy has already hinted at how a shift in consumer behavior as a result of culture wars can harm the economy. North Carolina passed the 'Bathroom Bill' in 2016, requiring transgender individuals to use public bathrooms in accordance with their birth certificates. This legislation was openly criticized by many for its discriminatory nature. . As a result, many LGBTQ advocacy groups, and celebrities decided to boycott the state and many businesses also joined in later on. As a result, this led to a significant economic impact with an estimated loss of $3.76 billion in revenue from canceled concerts, conferences, and events.

Ron DeSantis has further suggested continuous culture war battles with standing by anti-CRT(critical race theory) and against “radical gender race theory”. He has prohibited the race, education and discussion of preferred gender or sexuality, however, this is now attacking the LGBTQ youth. According to him, gender discussion and race should be banned, as they do not meet educational expectations nor focus on ‘learning’. Furthermore, DeSantis' “Don’t say gay or Trans” bill has passed, enhancing his success.

Nevertheless, DeSantis’ standing against the CRT is being criticized for ‘hypocrisy’, as they have donated thousands of dollars to the right wing of the government. In addition, they denounce racism during Black History Month. This has also affected businesses like Amazon, Disney, AT&T, and others. Despite public claims to be anti-racist, non-profit organizations are assumed to be directly and indirectly supporting DeSantis’s election, according to the Center for Political Accountability. As a result, the culture war caused by Ron Desantis has impacted the business, and got impacted from the business – as DeSantis progresses, they are supported by the businesses. Although there might be some connections between businesses and DeSantis’s work, this does not simply show a ‘direct’ impact on businesses, and it emphasizes DeSantis’ political impact. From the perspective of business, what counts is the political output that comes from businesses’ support – this will further benefit them if they are deeply bonded to politics.

Business leaders increasingly find themselves in such unwinnable positions, caught between two sides on topics they never wanted to debate, as culture war issues dominate U.S. political discourse. In the current political climate, consumers are increasingly aware of businesses' political and social stances. This can lead to boycotts or calls for boycotts of companies that are perceived as being on the "wrong" side of an issue. For example, in recent years, there have been boycotts of companies that support gun rights, companies that support immigration restrictions, and companies that have ties to the Trump administration. Culture wars can also impact a business's ability to attract and retain employees. Some potential employees may be reluctant to work for a company that has taken a controversial stance on a social or political issue. On the other hand, companies that take a strong stance on issues important to their employees may have an easier time attracting and retaining talent.

The U.S. culture wars can create significant challenges for businesses. However they can also present opportunities for companies that are able to navigate the complex and rapidly changing cultural landscape.