Martin Wolf on the US midterms: What’s the risk of political violence?

As Americans prepare to vote in the November 3 midterm elections, the FT’s chief economics commentator Martin Wolf asks what the result will mean for Donald Trump, the future of US democracy and America's place in the world. In the third of a six-part series, Martin speaks to political scientist and author Barbara F Walter, an expert on civil wars and political violence, about the risk of unrest surrounding the elections. Drawing on her research into countries around the world, Walter explains the warning signs of political violence, and why America's changing demographics and the struggle to hold on to political power are fuelling divisions. How close is the US to a dangerous tipping point? And can American democracy emerge from the midterms stronger rather than more divided?

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Host: Martin Wolf

Producer: Mischa Frankl-Duval

Senior producers: Laurence Knight and Edwin Lane

Executive producer: Manuela Saragosa

Video editor: Richard Topping

Senior Audio Engineer: Breen Turner

Broadcast engineers: Andrew Georgiades

Podcast development: Laura Clarke

FT Global Head of Audio: Flo Phillips

Learn more at www.ft.com/martin-wolf-on-the-world

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com