Book Recommendation
How Civil Wars Start, by Barbara F. Walter
The Rise of the Global Alt-Right
Barbara F. Walter’s book, How Civil Wars Start, is a deeply researched examination of the specific conditions that arise within countries before civil wars. Using robust data sets for analyses, we know that civil wars tend to escalate in predictable ways, and one of the best predictors is whether a country is moving toward or away from democracy.
In reading her book, we can see many indications of danger in the United States, as the Republican Party continues its distressing disintegration and descent into the White Nationalism of the Global Alt-Right.
Note: All quotes are by Barbara F. Walter unless otherwise indicated.
Ranking Countries by State of Democracy
For over a decade, countries all over the world have shifted away from Democracy and toward Autocracy. Experts assess the state of democracy by looking at four factors:
- How free elections are from government control
- How constrained the executive branch is
- How open an institutionalized political participation is
- How competitive the recruitment process for the presidency is
