Beyond Polarized American Democracy: From Mass Society to Coups and Civil War

The book Beyond Polarized American Democracy: From Mass Society to Coups and Civil War explores the potential for civil war in the United States by identifying four ideological drivers, tracing ten arenas of ongoing nonviolent conflict, and proposing measures to prevent calamity. It argues that anarchists, Christian Nationalists, Libertarians, and Triumphalists are determined to impose their views on the nation and commit violence out of sheer enjoyment. The book reviews governmental and military resources and efforts to counteract the ideological contest through political innovations, based on the sociological Mass Society Paradigm.

Format: Hardback
Length: 346 pages
Publication date: 11 August 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The United States is currently facing a significant threat of civil war, with apparent signs of ongoing planning and escalation of tensions. This book delves into the underlying factors contributing to this situation, identifying four major ideological drivers of potential conflict: Anarchists, Christian Nationalists, Libertarians, and Triumphalists. These groups are determined to impose their views on the diverse nation and reduce opponents to second-class status. They employ various tactics, including nonviolent political contests, conspiracy theories, cultural differences, verbal contestation, anti-elitism, racism, well-armed groups with nationwide membership, political demonization, media disinformation, Congressional hyperpartisanship, reducing constitutional rights, and legal fights by some states against others.

However, these groups often resort to violence out of sheer enjoyment, causing harm to their opponents. The book explores ten arenas of ongoing nonviolent civil war, where micro-level violence is increasingly prevalent. It presents several dozen alternative scenarios that could lead to the outbreak of civil war in the near future. These scenarios range from political polarization and economic instability to social unrest and military interventions.

To prevent calamity, the book offers measures that the country can take. These include promoting civil discourse, fostering social cohesion, addressing economic inequality, strengthening democratic institutions, promoting constitutional rights, and countering ideological extremism. The analysis is based on the sociological Mass Society Paradigm, which argues that the survival of democracy depends on the ability of civil society to relay the needs of the people to institutions of government and provide effective pressure for corrective action.

While the book provides remedies for each of the ten types of nonviolent civil war, it acknowledges that most of these solutions are long-term and cannot address the imminent threat. Therefore, it also reviews governmental and military resources as well as efforts to counteract the ideological contest through political innovations. The book aims to shed light on the complex dynamics driving civil war in the United States and provide insights into potential preventive measures. It is a timely and important contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of American democracy.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032474144