Expert warns of civil war and a split in US by 2035. THIS state will be first to break away

A political expert in California has warned of political polarisation in the United States, stating that the second Civil War could break out in the next 10 years. Daily Mail quoted Professor Benjamin Cohen from the University of California-Santa Barbara as saying that California could secede from the US, and this would trigger a civil war. Cohen noted in a university release that California could declare its independence from the US in 2035 because of the growing friction with the federal government. He says that it all comes down to identity which will motivate people to separate from the US. Cohen added that although this scenario looks impossible right now, things can change because in the so-called 'dream states', there is a movement to rally behind specific causes towards which people have a sense of attachment. So they would not want to remain part of the greater US family. Also Read: Gavin Newsom for US president? California governor's open war with Trump over LA violence hints at ambition

"Identity can be a very powerful motivator. That's why I worry about the risk of civil war. When it comes to something as strong as a sense of community identity, rationalism falls by the wayside," Cohen said. "It's difficult for me to imagine how things would divide up if there were a civil war. But the probability of such a war is substantially greater than zero," he wrote. Cohen said that the thought that states would secede from the US was an "underappreciated phenomenon." In this case, those states would form a new independent nation. They would no longer be governed by the US Constitution, federal laws, and the federal government. Also Read: Chinese TV host slammed for giving chicken drumsticks to boys. Here's why it is a problem

California would break first, showing signs of resentment

Cohen added even though California would be the first state to break away, there are other states where people want to change geographic borders to suit their political ideologies. He gave the example of New York City which has heavily leaned Democratic for years. However, the rest of New York State has favoured Republicans. Meanwhile, California has already started showing signs of anger. Recent riots in Los Angeles over the federal government's mass deportation of illegal immigrants are proof of the growing resentment in the state. Also Read: Japan hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake, weather agency denies links to manga prediction

A major portion of Americans also believe that there is a chance of a civil war breaking out in the US soon. A YouGov poll recently found that 40 per cent of Americans believe it's either "somewhat or very likely" the US will have another civil war within 10 years. The June 30 YouGov poll surveyed 1,111 adult US citizens, of which 31 per cent said that America will become a fascist dictatorship by 2035. Another 20 per cent think the US will turn communist by then. According to the US Supreme Court, no state can secede from the nation without the consent of all other states in the union. Also Read: Nankai Trough 'megaquake' could kill 300,000 people: Japan acknowledges risk, ramps up measures

Other studies have found that more and more Americans are growing frustrated and the government is reaching a critical breaking point. They believe that the country might stop functioning as a democracy within the next 10 years. Cohen noted the feelings of the Americans and wrote, "It seems to me we cannot ignore the risks of the current fissures and fragmentation — the breakdown of a sense of community."