Will the United States Descend Into Anarchy and Civil War After the 2020 Elections?

Will Trump Vacate the White House if he loses or would he have to be forced out?

The United States Presidential Elections are just days away. With the stakes so high and tensions at boiling point, a legitimate question to ask would be whether the deep divisions and the inflamed passions on both sides of the political divide lead to chaos and anarchy after the election results are announced.

Indeed, with both sides not willing to cede an inch to their rivals and more so, the Republicans, who are issuing dark threats about refusing to accept the result if it does not go in their favor, many neutral commentators have been musing about whether a Civil War is around the corner.

What is more galling and lends to this kind of debate is that President Trump himself has not yet committed on a peaceful transition of power if he loses, with at times, saying that he would not vacate the White House and at other times saying that the only way he could lose is if the election was rigged.

Moreover, even the so-called moderate Republicans are also supporting him on this count leading to baffled experts wondering where the country is headed to.

Will the Right Wing Militias and the Antifa Groups Resort to Violence After the Election?

Having said that, it is not only the Republicans who are gearing up for street battles but also some allied factions of the Democratic Party such as the Antifa or the Anti Fascist groups who are already agitating for well over Two Months against police brutality and violence against minorities.

Of course, there is no indication that Antifa has the blessings of the Top Echelons of the Democratic Party, unlike the Republican Party, where President Trump himself is calling on the Right Wing Militias or the Armed Vigilantes to standby in case of a disputed election result.

The point to note here is that this Election is being held at a very dangerous moment in the history of the United States with the Covid Pandemic taking its toll and the Race Riots having jangled the nerves of the citizenry.

Indeed, there can be no worse time than this for a disputed or a contested election where neither side wins outright that can be the spark that lights the fire.

Therefore, as the clock ticks down to Election Day, everyone is keeping their fingers crossed as to what would happen to the country in the days and weeks to come now.

The Role of Business Leaders, Military Veterans, and Most Importantly, the Judiciary

These concerns have naturally led to worries among the Military veterans and Intelligence professionals as well as among Business Leaders prompting some of them to release signed letters exhorting all sides to respect the result, irrespective of whether they win or lose.

Moreover, with Mail in Voting and Absentee Ballots playing a prominent role due to the Covid Pandemic, there is every possibility that the result would not be known for days or even weeks.

Apart from this, there is a chance that the election would not be decided by the people, but by the Supreme Court, given the likelihood of the losing side disputing the result and alleging fraud by the other side.

No wonder the Republicans rushed to fill the seat in the Supreme Court after the vacancy caused by the death of a sitting judge.

Indeed, this can be akin to stealing the election in the same manner in which in 2000, the election was decided in the courts.

All these point to a very tumultuous weeks ahead for the United States where it would confront the Perfect Storm of Converging Crises at once. This election is already being billed as the most consequential in its history.

The Polarized Media, Divisive Social Media, and Foreign Interference

In this context, the role of the media and especially Social Media has to be discussed as the outsized power of these mediums means that they need to be responsible in their reporting.

Just like the world over where media have become the Judge, Jury, and Executioner and where Media Trials are the norm, the United States must henceforth, lead the way for the rest of the world in regulating the media.

Indeed, with Social Media being a fertile ground for disinformation and misinformation, the potential for mischief by Foreign Powers to sow discord among the people is huge.

As it happened in the 2016 election, there are indications that Russia, China, and Iran are using their Troll Armies and Hackers to good effect.

Moreover, even the Mainstream Media in the United States these days is nothing more than conduits for Partisan Reporting.

Thus, not only is this election a Turning Point for the Politicians but also for the Institutions where there is a chance for Reform and at the same time, there is every likelihood of chaos and confusion.

The stakes could not have been higher for the US and hence, there is heightened interest among a worldwide audience.

Conclusion

Last, as the US stands on the brink of possible anarchy or renewal, it is hoped that its people make their choices keeping in mind these factors and are not swayed by rage and blind emotions.

Indeed, ultimately, it is the citizenry of the US who have to step up and ensure that their vote counts.

This is also the time for Statesmanship by the former Presidents and the distinguished members of past administrations to step in and ensure that things remain stable. To conclude, the weeks to come would determine the trajectory of the US for years to come.


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The article is Written By “Prachi Juneja” and Reviewed By Management Study Guide Content Team. MSG Content Team comprises experienced Faculty Member, Professionals and Subject Matter Experts. We are a ISO 2001:2015 Certified Education Provider. To Know more, click on About Us. The use of this material is free for learning and education purpose. Please reference authorship of content used, including link(s) to ManagementStudyGuide.com and the content page url.


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