How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them

In her concluding chapter, Walter points out that while civil wars are rare, they often result in a second civil war. Downgraded ethnic groups are willing to fight a second war because their original grievances were either not fully addressed or worsened. This situation makes the group even more willing to fight to take back the power they believe is owed to them. Experts call places that experience multiple civil wars a “conflict trap.” Walter highlights this reality since the US has only experienced one civil war so far. She wants Americans to pay attention to those places that have experienced more so they can learn from those mistakes and not repeat them.

Of particular concern to Walter is the decline in the quality of American governance since 2015 or 2016, depending on the dataset. The lack of accountability is particularly worrying. As one example, the US does not have an independent and centralized election management system that helps protect the integrity of elections and build trust in the electoral process. Walter suggests that voter fraud claims were more easily spread during the 2020 election process because the US lacks independent election accountability. Concerns around the electoral process increase people’s mistrust in political institutions. This mistrust, in turn, weakens the country’s democracy. Walter underscores, however, that “the solution is not to abandon democracy but rather to improve it” (204). Americans will only regain trust in their government if it clearly serves the populace as a whole rather than select groups.

Walter demonstrates throughout the book that there are patterns and risk factors that can indicate where and when a civil war might break out. Despite all this research, many Americans, including government officials and law enforcement, still remain oblivious to early warning signs. Walter suggests psychological biases prevent Americans from recognizing this domestic threat, as they have a hard time believing that fellow citizens would cause harm compared to outsiders. For this reason, politicians and law enforcement have long avoided using the term “terrorist” to refer to domestic insurgents, despite them fitting this label. Walter emphasizes the need to devote the same resources to combatting domestic terrorism as foreign terrorism. Failure to do so could result in a second civil war.

Walter also presents a strategy for combatting Social Media’s Corrosive Influence on Democracy: regulations. Walter finds it preposterous that the US government regulates all different industries except social media. She believes regulations could help reinvigorate the notion of the public good and minimize the influence of foreign meddlers who have used social media to sow distrust and division in the US.

While the topic of civil wars is a heavy one, especially when the likelihood of it occurring in one’s own country is rising, Walter ends on a hopeful note. She already sees everyday citizens trying to combat division and discord by restoring civil values at the local government level. Some states, such as California, are also showing that white citizens losing their majority status will not result in economic, social, or moral costs. Since becoming minority white in the late 1990s, the state has seen massive economic growth and reduced unemployment. These examples convince Walter that Americans have the chance to revitalize their democracy, making it even stronger and more inclusive than ever before.