NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm wondering...The USA seems so polarized. Any chance of there being another Civil War in our lifetime?

I for one HOPE not. But it seems that the last time this country was so polarized when it came to a single issue...140 years ago...we landed ourselves in a war.

What do you think?

Here's to the best.

What would be the divisive issue?

It not realistically possible. The Civil War was generations in the making, and had multiple issues that were regionally related.

Simply put, there is no such schism in the US today. Oh, we might see California or Colorado split into two states each. But Civil War? I don't see it.

Civil war? Nahhhh. People may smack each other, say nasty things about each other but shooting? Don't see it.

At most there could be Relgious violence but that is about it.....

first off the US army is WAY more powerful then it was in the 1860s no rebellion would ever survive and its just not gonna happen its unrealistic well wouldnt mind nuking california :mp5:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Thomas Jefferson said a healthy democracy needs a revolution every century or so to keep the gov't from getting too much power and too corrupt.

If there is any internal war, it'll be more of a revolution rather than a civil war. In fact, it wont be civil at all.

I must agree, however, with Karl Marx when he said that history is not struggles between nations, but struggles between economic classes. I think that is what it boils down to.

I don't think we will land ourselves in the civil war. as Markreich stated, the issues were regionally divisive. The outlawing of slavery had an especially significant impact on the South, because the South's economy was ENTIRELY agricultural, and slaves were (necessary) for the cotton industries, etc. at that time. This had an enormous impact on the South's economic workings. Issues like the War Against Terror and Gay Marriage may evoke a lot of feelings, but are for the most part separable from economy and region. Yes, there might be red state/blue state regions, but for the most part, these feelings are not concentrated in one specific region with little opposition. Legalizing gay marriage will not implode the Southern red states' economy, nor will pro-lifers freeze the New England/California blue states' wealth. In the end it, it all boils down to money, and there are no substantial economic issues in any given region at the time. I think part of this is due to increased ability to travel and communicate. Things are a lot less regionalized and a lot more globalized, less agricultural, more industrial, high-tech. The chance for civil war in the near future is very small.

first off the US army is WAY more powerful then it was in the 1860s no rebellion would ever survive and its just not gonna happen its unrealistic well wouldnt mind nuking california :mp5:
"noob"

I'd think that there is a definite possiblity. Probably between political parties.

I'm wondering...The USA seems so polarized. Any chance of there being another Civil War in our lifetime?

I for one HOPE not. But it seems that the last time this country was so polarized when it came to a single issue...140 years ago...we landed ourselves in a war.

What do you think?

Here's to the best.

As a historian. Wont happen in any of our lifetimes. The US isnt as polarized as you may think. Last time we came close to Civil war was in the 1930's. We were on the verge due to economic collapse. Thanks for Roosevelts determination for keeping America from going over the brink. Would take a huge economic collapse for this to be possible again. You would see other countries go before us anyway.

The American public is too forgiving as a whole for a revolution to take place any time soon. It's really a shame. If any sort of uprising was to happen, it would have been during the 2000 election. But people didn't see what was coming.

Most of us don't even vote. How likely is it that we'd rise up and shoot each other?

i don't really think so, but i think it's a possibility depending on how divided we become. the whole culture war thing, you know?