By that definition (the more political polarization, the more political engagement and better democracic health), wouldn't the healthiest the U.S. has ever been is during the Civil War? Does that not imply that the healthiest democracy is one that's in civil war? That just doesn't pass the smell test.
it does if we are able to separate 'what is good for democracy' with 'what is good for society'. It could be our current anxiety is the discovery that those two are distinct, and we can't handle the implication
