Michael Lewis’s Who Is Government? emerges during a period of historically low trust in US governmental institutions. According to the Pew Research Center, only about one in five US citizens (23%) say they trust the federal government to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time” as of 2024; this represents a dramatic decline from earlier eras: Trust in government began eroding in the 1960s and has remained consistently low for more than 15 years, never exceeding 30% since 2007 (“Public Trust in Government: 1958-2024.” Pew Research Center, 24 June 2024).

Alongside declining institutional trust, the US has experienced accelerating political polarization. This polarization manifests in two key ways: ideological polarization (the gap between the policy positions of Democrats and Republicans has widened significantly) and affective polarization (citizens increasingly view not just the opposing party but also its members in highly negative terms).

Studies suggest that the US has experienced a greater surge in polarization than comparable democracies. As partisan antipathy deepens, citizens are increasingly likely to see the opposing party’s policies as threats to the nation’s well-being. This polarization extends beyond politics into personal life, and many citizens prefer communities, friendships, and even family relationships that reflect their political values.

The changing media landscape has played a significant role in shaping attitudes toward government. Traditional news sources that once provided a shared information environment have declined, while partisan news outlets, social media echo chambers, and alternative information sources have proliferated. These changes have contributed to citizens’ diverging perceptions of reality and reinforced existing political divisions.

While some research suggests that internet usage itself may not be the primary driver of polarization (as internet adoption has increased similarly across countries that haven’t experienced comparable polarization), the US information environment has become increasingly fragmented along ideological lines. This fragmentation makes it harder for citizens to reach consensus on basic facts, much less policy solutions.

Lewis’s book was published at a critical moment when citizens are reconsidering fundamental questions about government’s role in society. By telling the stories of dedicated civil servants performing essential work largely out of public view, Who Is Government? offers a counternarrative to prevailing stereotypes about ineffective bureaucracy and government waste.

The book does not advocate for any particular size or scope of government but instead illuminates the human dimension of public service. In doing so, it addresses a knowledge gap that Lewis first identified in The Fifth Risk (2018): Many citizens, including those in positions of power, have a limited understanding of what government agencies do and how their work affects daily life.

As ideological battles about the role of government intensify, Lewis and his collaborators provide a ground-level view of government functions that transcend partisan divides—maintaining infrastructure, ensuring public safety, advancing scientific research, and providing essential services. By humanizing government institutions through compelling personal narratives, Who Is Government? invites readers to move beyond abstract debates about “big government” versus “small government” to consider the specific ways in which government employees serve the public interest.

In an era when declining trust in institutions and partisan polarization threaten democratic governance, Who Is Government? offers a nuanced perspective that neither uncritically celebrates government nor dismisses its importance. Instead, it encourages citizens to develop a more sophisticated understanding of how government functions, the people who make it work, and its essential role in US society.