The Forever War

The Forever War tells the story of how America's political polarization is 250 years in the making, and argues that the roots of its modern-day malaise are to be found in its troubled past.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the American experiment is failing. Division, mistrust and misinformation are now its defining characteristics. The storming of the Capitol, the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the increasing spotlight on Second Amendment rights raise the specter of further political violence, and even the possibility of a second civil war.

Nick Bryant argues that the hate, divisiveness and paranoia we see today are in fact a core part of America's story. Combining brilliant storytelling with historical research, Bryant argues that insurrections, assassinations and massacres - from the American Civil War through to JFK and the inner city race riots of the late '60s, up to the more recent high school shootings and the murder of George Floyd - should sadly not be seen as abnormalities; in fact they are a part of the fabric of the history of America.

The compromises originally designed to hold the union together - the Amendments made in the Reconstruction era to give rights back to former slaves, the apportionment of political power - have never truly been resolved. Today, a country that looked confidently to the future has become captive to its contentious past.

Prologue: 'Democracy has prevailed'
Introduction: Escaping Camelot
1 The strange career of American democracy
2 From July 4th to January 6th
3 The demagogic style in American politics
4 American authoritarianism
5 1776 and all that. . .
6 America's constant curse
7 In Guns We Trust
8 Roe, Wade and the Supremes
9 Toxic exceptionalism
10 The Two Americas
Afterword: Goodbye America
Acknowledgements
Notes
Index
Note on the Author
Note on the Type