Society has arguably come a long way since pre-contemporary America. African Americans aren’t forced to work for powerful white landowners for no pay. Adolescent girls can chant whatever they want around a wood fire while brewing a spiritually cleansing concoction, damning their ex-boyfriends to the deepest pits of hell, without fear of being hanged in front of the whole village. Women can even pursue a career in science, and take credit for their own paradigm-shifting discoveries without attributing them to higher-ranking males. But with all this social progression, how did an ultra-right-wing, overtly racist, golden spoon spitting man make it so far in the presidential race? As today marks the approximate 1-year anniversary of Trump’s official declaration of his presidential bid, it’s important to analyze how he gained such an undeniably loyal and large group of supporters in the seemingly liberal air that permeates the twenty-first century.

1. Non-politician

America’s deep set problems with immigration, healthcare, debt, terrorism, crime etc. are all attributed to the ‘establishment.’ And who runs the establishment? Career politicians. They are overly diplomatic with no real opinions of their own. They say what their advisers tell them to say to get elected. But once in office, their hidden agenda will reveal itself and add to the maladies that face the American people already.

But as somebody who touts his un-political credentials in every speech, what is stopping him from transforming into a politician the minute he steps into office? A politician is defined as “a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organization.” A career businessman can rarely advance without being at least a little manipulative and devious himself. How different is persuading investors, shareholders and consumers for support and money than politicians persuading constituents, peers and superiors for votes? Both processes require making deals and compromises that may not be entirely ethical. One can’t expect success in the private sector without the key traits that politicians are notorious for. And whether he likes it or not, he’s going to have to engage in the political process if he wants to pass any of his policies in office.

Being anti-establishment and a non-politician should not serve as justification for Trump’s flaws in character and ideology. Voters are better off supporting an overly politically-correct politician who voices opinions to bring the country further along, rather than a “tells-it-like-it-is” millionaire who hides his politicking behind entrepreneurship, and will steer America backwards.

2. Blind Ideology

Many Americans are so divided by party lines that they vote for Trump solely because he is Republican. It doesn’t matter how offensive he is; he can’t be worse than a Democrat!

Those who are poorly informed about current events and politics often vote for a candidate because everyone around them is voting for that candidate. Oftentimes, young voters will follow in their parents’ ideological footprints, doing little political analysis on their own. So while a voter may not be racist, voting for a Democrat just wouldn’t make sense in their community or family.

3. Business Acumen

Voters also think that Donald Trump’s success with his businesses means that he can turn a ‘stagnant’ economy around. He’s an executive of over 500 companies in many different fields. His diversity of business, from beauty pageantry to real estate, demonstrates his versatility.

However his talent for real estate doesn’t ensure success in other sectors. His dealings with airlines, casinos and football teams have all failed because of their more complex business structures. And as a micromanager, his tactics would be severely inefficient in managing a bureaucracy: “It’s hard to imagine how Trump’s management style would or could translate to government, where hierarchies are impenetrable, micromanagement ineffective and expensive urns [such as those in his office] susceptible to congressional scrutiny.” While he is a strong decision maker, he is not a successful operations executive, which is needed in government.

And while he boasts about turning a small loan of a million dollars into much more, he gives an incomplete story. In addition to one million dollars, he had previously established business connections and a $40 million inheritance from his father. Studies show that if he kept his money in a standard index fund, his net worth would be six billion dollars today, which is arguably close to his current net worth.

4. Racism + White Liberal Culture

One of the reasons people are voting for Trump is simply racism. However, upper class liberals who shame Trump supporters as ‘ignorant’ and ‘bigoted’ are often contributors to the problem. In Matt Breunig’s “Last Place Avoidance and Poor White Racism,” he concludes that “people care about where they shake out in the hierarchy of society. Poor whites don’t want to be in last place, and pro-white social structures ensure that they aren’t.” As long as racism is perpetuated, their social standing stays in place.

White liberals, who view racism as a “personal moral failure,” instead of a result of their class, block future progress for this class of people who cling to the attitude that conserves their dignity. Shaming Trump-supporters adds to the shame they are already holding, and re-entrenches their motives.

Racism will always exist in a society where white liberal culture ensures moral superiority, and commonly economic superiority. But with shaming happening on both sides, it’s not a surprise that Trump was able to so easily tap into the insecurities of the working class.

5. Us Vs. Them mentality

With ISIS-affiliated terrorism spreading to the United States, Donald Trump was able to use the politics of fear to capture a large audience. His loud, radical and vituperative proposals are almost reminiscent of 1960s McCarthyism, in which Senator Joseph McCarthy cultivated the nation’s paranoia against Communism, fueled by the North Korean War and Russia’s acquisition of an atomic bomb. To a nation feeling unsafe, proclaiming himself as the “most military person there is” was a logical move, aimed at unifying his voter base as ‘us,’ and everyone else as ‘them'.

While the world is actually a bit more complex, Trump's simplification of current affairs is easier for a voter base to understand.

So, are all young Republicans racist? Probably not. Some voters are so fed up with politician flip-flopping, inefficiency and waste, that they are willing to overlook any ideological differences in an anti-establishment candidate. Others, particularly young voters, are determined to vote only along their family’s or community’s ideological lines. Some find credibility in his business ventures, while more are convinced by his powerful, fear-mongering discourse. But many are simply racist. However, there are ways to alleviate this.