Yes, or at least they have historically caused partisan sorting in the U.S. The 70's/early 80's recession, the Great Depression, the Panic of 1893, and the Panic of 1873 all were either the main cause or contributed significantly to major realignments. In every case except 1873, the parties became more polarized by ideology. Even the panics of 1837 and possibly 1857 had similar effects, though the Panic of 1857 is hard to separate from the other issues of the 1850s.
recessions dont cause polarization but income inequality does:
Unfortunately, Trump's tax scam and the GOP's supply side garbage economics is destroying this country
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