Civil War 2.0: an Unmanageable Divorce
Newsweek Europe|April 01 - 08, 2022
Splitting up red and blue America sounds good to some of us. But it would be an economic disaster
By Sam Hill and Hank Gilman. Photographs by ENJOYNZ and Getty
Civil War 2.0: an Unmanageable Divorce

THERE'S A LOT OF CHATTER these days, sometimes wistful, about Civil War 2.0. Recently, Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican, said Texas could take its oil, NASA and go its own way. In January, professor Barbara Walter warned of the possibility of another war between the states in her book, How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them. A few years back, The Week editor Bonnie Kristian, said, “We should chop America into seven different countries. Seriously.”

And in 2020, right-wing provocateur Candace Owens tweeted, “I wonder if we're past the point of reconciliation with the Left. Maybe we'd all be happier letting them pick a few states they can turn into their own country w/ no guns, no police, no statues, no genders, no flags, no men and no electricity.” Tempting, Candance, yes. But it's a bad idea for a lot of reasons. One big one that's often ignored: Economically, splitting up would be a $100 trillion mistake.

Look, we get it. Everyone is exasperated. Both sides fantasize about simply going our separate ways, creating two countries of like-minded people and living happily ever after. If happily ever after” means living in countries with lousy economies and a mountain of debt, then okay.

If splitting led to a civil war, it would cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars. Estimating the fully-loaded costs of war is tricky business, but safe to say modern wars are expensive. According to the Watson Institute at Brown University, U.S.wars post-9/11 have cost $8 trillion in military spending alone. But the bigger (and trickier) part is what wars do to the economy. It's estimated the Yugoslavian Civil War in 1991 reduced GDP by 20 percent a year with industrial production down by 50 percent, along with 20 percent unemployment.

Denne historien er fra April 01 - 08, 2022-utgaven av Newsweek Europe.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra April 01 - 08, 2022-utgaven av Newsweek Europe.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA NEWSWEEK EUROPESe alt
Bridget Everett
Newsweek Europe

Bridget Everett

BRIDGET EVERETT NEVER THOUGHT SHE'D BE THE LEAD OF A TV SHOW. \"I come from the downtown world in New York, a cabaret singer, and these things just don't happen, you don't find yourself with three seasons of HBO.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 08, 2024
Amber Ruffin
Newsweek Europe

Amber Ruffin

A LATE-NIGHT COMEDY SHOW ON CNN? YES, and it's a game show, too.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 08, 2024
Lights, Camera, Civil Rights Action
Newsweek Europe

Lights, Camera, Civil Rights Action

Legendary director Spike Lee tells Newsweek about promoting social justice through his storytelling and why he's been urging people to get out and vote

time-read
6 mins  |
November 08, 2024
AMERICA'S BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE 2025
Newsweek Europe

AMERICA'S BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE 2025

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A CORNERSTONE OF A GREAT SHOPPING experience.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 08, 2024
TACKLE THE ISSUE: AHEAD OF THE GAME
Newsweek Europe

TACKLE THE ISSUE: AHEAD OF THE GAME

A third of former NFL players believe they have a chronic brain condition linked to football. A new blood test could help

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 08, 2024
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR Murder on the Front Line
Newsweek Europe

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR Murder on the Front Line

Russian troops killing more and more Ukrainian captives, in breach of the Geneva Conventions, is a bloody new tactic in the ongoing conflict

time-read
6 mins  |
November 08, 2024
George Lopez
Newsweek Europe

George Lopez

GEORGE LOPEZ HAS DONE A LOT IN HIS LONG CAREER. BUT NOW, WITH NBC's Lopez vs Lopez, George knows what's most important \"is the people you get to be around and get to talk to.\"

time-read
2 mins  |
November 01, 2024
Asher Grodman
Newsweek Europe

Asher Grodman

ASHER GRODMAN IS PERFECTLY FINE PLAYING a ghost on CBS' Ghosts who walks through the afterlife without any pants. \"I don't really want to die in the state that Trevor died.

time-read
1 min  |
November 01, 2024
Last Rodeo for 'Yellowstone'
Newsweek Europe

Last Rodeo for 'Yellowstone'

The hit TV series is set to conclude without main man Kevin Costner, but his onscreen son Luke Grimes is convinced viewers will be surprised and satisfied by the season finale

time-read
6 mins  |
November 01, 2024
SURVEY SAYS...
Newsweek Europe

SURVEY SAYS...

Exclusive polling for Newsweek on key issues highlights where presidential candidates DONALD TRUMP and KAMALA HARRIS need to win votes to succeed to the White House

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 01, 2024