Polarization is likely to produce violent confrontations and civil wars
that result in either state breakups or the physical elimination of losers
by winners. The ultimate outcome in the new state (or states) is not
just elite unity but unity forged and tested through struggle. In terms
of impact on state organizations, polarization necessitates the careful
selection of members and early efforts to consolidate organizational
structure and discipline. The likely outcome is more cohesive, if less
broad-based, political organizations. In fact, organizations developed
under the competitive environment of polarization must be even more
cohesive than those created simply by elite unity. Finally, polarization generates
pressures on elites to focus more on nurturing social bases and to
clarify their ideological positions constantly in order to distinguish themselves
from their adversaries. This environment is conducive to the formulation
and diffusion of radical transformative goals within organizations
but hostile to ideological diversity. Because of this radicalizing process,
ideological congruence must be stronger than what is produced by simple
elite unity.