The real danger

Abstract

Right now, lots of people are afraid of the wave of racist and sexist harassment incidents that erupted in the wake of Trump’s electoral victory. Lots of other people are thinking more long-term, worrying about policy changes (Roe v. Wade, deportations, restrictive immigration laws, health care). Relatively few, as yet, seem to be worried about the further long-term degradation of America’s institutions (Daron Acemoglu has a great essay about this). But there’s one danger that dwarfs all of these: the looming specter of great-power war.