How Civil Wars Start
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How Civil Wars Start
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Narrated by:
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Beth Hicks
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Civil wars are the biggest danger to world peace today - this book shows us why they happen and how to avoid them.
Most of us don't know it, but we are living in the world's greatest era of civil wars. While violence has declined worldwide, civil wars have increased. This is a new phenomenon. With the exception of a handful of cases - the American and English civil wars, the French Revolution - historically it has been rare for people to organise and fight their governments.
This has changed. Since 1946, more than 250 armed conflicts have broken out around the world, a number that continues to rise. Major civil wars are now being fought in countries including Iraq, Syria and Libya. Smaller civil wars are being fought in Ukraine, India and Malaysia. Even countries we thought could never experience another civil war - such as the USA, Sweden and Ireland - are showing signs of unrest.
In How Civil Wars Start, acclaimed expert Barbara F. Walter, who has advised on political violence everywhere from the CIA to the US Senate to the United Nations, explains the rise of civil war and the conditions that create it. As democracies across the world backslide and citizens become more polarised, civil wars will become even more widespread and last longer than they have in the past. This urgent and important book shows us a path back towards peace.
©2022 Barbara F. Walter (P)2022 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about How Civil Wars Start
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- djmp
- 30-04-23
Uneven
Much of the book is sound but some of the modern day analysis is somewhat narrow not recognising in particular the role of ideas in helping to create or encourage growth of factionalism guns or no.guns
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Alexander e
- 21-12-22
Comprehensive and informative
The author brings some really compelling theories to the listener. And ones I had never thought about.
I do wonder about an element of bias here from a political side. There is lots of anti far right wing comments in the book, which I understand and agree with, I just noticed there were no (or very few) comments on far left with. Which given Soviet Union and China’s history, I felt they should be given similar magnitude. Some elements gave it a little too much an anti trumpist agenda aspect, showing potentially more of the author’s political views rather than grounded theory. That said, the storming of the capitol building was very recent and thus Barbara Walter may be fully granted.
Ending of how to stop is a great part to include and I hope her warnings are heeded.
The auditory aspect of the Audio is impeccable. Beth speaks clearly and with great tone throughout.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Komerade Snowflake
- 20-01-22
sound stuff
one sided on northern ireland, which makes me wonder about some of the other conflicts she discusses, but the principles she raises are interesting and sound
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kathryn Kerle
- 19-08-22
Essential reading.
The book offers a compelling analysis of how civil wars start, replete with illuminating examples and personal stories. Walter is persuasive and unblinkingly. Her assessment is alarming but also offers useful suggestions on how we can avert disaster. A book all citizens should read.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- TwoHeadedTroll
- 08-11-22
Very US centred
There are some useful thoughts here, but it basically amount to an outreach from the US left to the US centre. Non-Americans will find a lot of it jarring, although the central message that the US is in even more trouble than it seems was eye-popping, and the American right will probably find it challenging.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Starsteve
- 10-12-23
Fantastic chilling summary of what is going on
Even though the subject brings chills to my spine, I thoroughly enjoyed that book. Barbara Walter had a very good understanding of what is at play at the moment and the need to reign in social media. A must read! Just a thought, an edition in French would be very useful for my French speaking friends.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Science geek
- 04-11-22
Thoroughly interesting read
Despite the somber topic, this is an extremely interesting, and well written and referenced book. Hopefully improving our knowledge in such areas can help us take the world to a safer place
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Rob Parr
- 23-04-22
Scary insight into the American future
America is tottering on the precipice. The conditions for civil war are scarily apparent. Society is so polarised, there is madness everywhere and Trump is the turd in the ointment. A cracking read and well worth the time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Dr. Dylan Evans
- 16-05-24
A timely warning
A fact filled and incisive analysis of the prospects for civil war in the United States. This is no alarmist screed; it is a calm, rational explanation of the risk factors for civil war in general and an analysis of how those factors apply to the United States today. Compulsory listening for anyone who is concerned about the state of US politics today.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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- Alex Simpson
- 20-02-22
How certain wars start
I assumed this book would be a wider assessment of why and how civil wars start. However I found it mostly focussed on how right wing extremism coupled with social media might lead to immediate breakdown in the US. Not bad per se, but a little limited in horizon as a result.
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