Over 40 pct of Americans believe civil war likely to happen in decade: poll

LONDON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Over 40 percent of Americans say a U.S. civil war is likely to happen within a decade as political polarization and street violence grow, British media outlet The Guardian said recently citing a poll result.

According to the survey conducted by the Britain-based data company YouGov and the Economist, around 43 percent of Americans believe a civil war is at least somewhat likely in the next 10 years.

Among strong Democrats and independents that figure was 40 percent, but among strong Republicans, it was 54 percent that see a civil war somewhat likely.

The findings follow similar results in other polls, The Guardian said.

Though most experts believe a full-scale armed conflict, like the American civil war of 1861-65, remains unlikely, "many fear an increase of jagged political division and explicitly political violence," the report said.

Since the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, fears of political violence have grown, indicating that heated rhetoric from supporters of former U.S. Present Donald Trump has somewhat stoked the public fear, said the report.