Super Short Summary

In How Civil Wars Start, Barbara F. Walter examines the risk factors and patterns that lead to civil wars, detailing how modern conflicts differ from historical ones. She underscores how ethnic and cultural tensions, coupled with weak governance and factionalism, create environments ripe for civil unrest. The second half focuses on the growing instability in the US, highlighting factors like Trump’s presidency and the rise of alt-right militias as signs of potential civil war, urging Americans to strengthen democratic institutions to prevent conflict. The book involves acts of violence and other crimes associated with civil wars.