Billionaire billionaire Ray Dalio has expressed fear about the future of the United States, claiming that the present political atmosphere has created a one-in-three risk of “civil war.”
In an interview with The Financial Times this week, Mr. Dalio outlined how American politics’ divisiveness has contributed to an exceptionally “turbulent” period in history.
“We are now on the brink,” Mr. Dalio told the news site, adding that he saw a 35–40% chance of a second civil war.
He clarified that the “civil war” he anticipates is not one in which people “grab guns and start shooting,” but rather one in which individuals cease seeing politics as a compromise. He just imagines: “People move to different states that are more aligned with what they want, and they don’t follow the decisions of federal authorities of the opposite political persuasion,” stated Dalio.
According to studies, Americans are becoming more politically split than ever. According to a Pew Research poll, only 32% of Americans hold nearly similar numbers of conservative and liberal beliefs, down from 49% in 2004.
Controversial election cycles are becoming increasingly common, contributing to the growing divide between the two political parties.
The social internet has made it easy for like-minded radicals to communicate and encourage one another, motivating people to take drastic action. This is evident in the actions of those who organized rallies and ultimately stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Donald Trump’s bogus accusations of widespread election fraud in the 2020 election sparked a severe and violent response that day. However, his reluctance to call off his supporters and continue to assert that the election was “stolen” from him justified their actions on that day.
Even now, as more Republicans parrot his assertions and refuse to think the 2020 election was fair, his fans are encouraged to continue supporting him and reject any criticism from the other side of the aisle.
Mr. Dalio, who created Bridgewater Associates, stated that the impending 2024 election will be a test of democracy.
“Will there be an acceptance of the rules and an ability to work well under those rules?” he said.
“Trump will pursue more right-wing, nationalistic, isolationist, protectionist, non-regulatory, and confrontational policies to combat internal and external opponents, including political adversaries. “Biden, and especially the Democratic Party without Biden, will be quite the opposite, although they will still play political hardball.”