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Although the current year was already shaping up to be the most challenging period of the century regarding the international system established after WWII, the past week proved to be among the most devastating so far. The Israeli government deepened its disregard toward global agreements by sending a squadron of warplanes to Qatar, bombing representatives from Hamas participating in peace negotiations within Qatar’s capital. The last meaningful forum aimed at dialogue may now have vanished completely.

No fewer than 19 Russian drones breached the territorial skies of Poland. In an unprecedented move, Nato airpower was engaged to counter hostile objects within the borders of a member nation. Regardless of if the incursion was a technical mishap or intentional testing by Moscow, as western experts believe, it represented “the closest we have been to outright war since the second world war,” the Polish leader, the head of government, stated.

Subsequently, Charlie Kirk, an outspoken right-wing figure and staunch supporter of Trump, was assassinated during a speech to college students and Maga supporters on a campus in Utah. Without evidence of the shooter’s identity or motives, the former president quickly accused “those on the radical left,” accusing them of rhetoric “directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today.”

Asked how a polarized country might reconcile after Kirk’s assassination, Trump said he “couldn’t care less”. The reasoning provided proved alarming: Right-wing extremists are radical because they oppose criminal activity … The radicals on the left pose the real threat – and they are dangerous and despicable and strategically clever.” In this manner polarisation transforms into group mentality. Thus the spiral of hatred accelerates toward irreversible conflict.

Actually, over 75% of deaths linked to extremism across America in the past decade have come from rightwing extremists, while left-wing radicals responsible for only a fraction of these incidents. Trump condemned ideologically motivated attacks broadly a day later – but did not acknowledge a series of recent of attacks against Democrats, which involved multiple murders. From his perspective, the issue remains perpetually others, never the loyal supporters who make up his core followers.

The societal repercussions of Kirk’s death will no doubt unfold in the coming weeks, yet the gravest risk in a polarised climate involves the shooting transforms into a Reichstag fire of our age. The deliberate burning which occurred in early 1933 marked Germany’s pivot from fragile democracy toward autocratic rule. Hitler, freshly installed as chancellor, capitalized on the incident to eliminate basic rights under previous governance – expression, media independence, association, public gathering.

“Anyone who stands in our way will be cut down,” he declared, inspecting the arsoned building. Thousands of communists found themselves imprisoned, even elected representatives in parliament. With the left neutralised, the Nazis swiftly consolidated power.

Within modern America, Kirk’s death has captivated the nation, energizing political bases and loyalists, a fact he recognizes. An extremist figure, Matt Forney, clamoured for the arrest of all opposing lawmakers, explicitly labeling the killing as a pivotal turning point.

In truth, this incident serves as a potential rescue an increasingly unpopular presidency plagued with a sharp drop in job numbers, currency devaluation, and real estate turmoil. The former president grieved like a lost relative, but the rhetoric suggested this would be focused equally on pursuing Trump’s enemies rather than justice. Right after the assassination, Trump promised to go after all individuals of those who contributed to this atrocity … including the organisations that fund and support it.” He singled out a billionaire philanthropist, a donor to liberal causes and political contributor. “He’s a bad guy,” Trump told NBC News, he “should be put in jail.”

The reasons for Kirk’s killing are still unknown. The political views of the suspect, a young individual, appear as muddled as those of another recent perpetrator, a young man who attempted to assassinate the former president at a rally. Is this truly left-wing extremism attacking right-wing figures – or rather an obscure online culture of online niches entering reality? Phrases engraved upon the bullet casings in Utah appear unlike a political statement than a crude bricolage of immature jokes and gaming references.

Yet concerns arise that the repression of dissenting scholars, legal professionals, journalists, civil servants, armed forces members, and judges across the country will intensify. Thus far, online responses have led to a wave of sackings and US state department officials have cautioned foreign nationals against endorsing or make light of the murder, instructing consulates to implement measures toward individuals engaging in such behavior.

Trump has long thrived amid turmoil and instability. Where real crises do not exist, he fabricates them – including imagined crime pandemics in Los Angeles, Washington DC and Chicago. Fake chaos fuels his power grab. Currently, he possesses an ideal opportunity. It is understandable he couldn’t care less about national unity.

The shooting offers an ideal justification to strengthen control, muzzling opposition, and centralizing authority – so that his successors may inherit total governmental power, regardless of charisma, merit or electoral support. After all, any autocratic system has to be built first; once entrenched, it is simpler to uphold.

Liberal democracy and international frameworks are far from perfect, yet they provided peace, progress and economic growth – the very opposite of authoritarianism. Implying that the US, the architect of the postwar order, could soon slide into full-blown autocracy, its leaders thinking historical extremist mindsets, could appear unlikely.

But from another vantage point, it is quite plausible. Totalitarianism was still within living memory during the upbringing of individuals within contemporary Western nations came of age. Across European states, most families have some history of fatalities, destruction, animosity and destitution that authoritarianism leaves behind. To safeguard their near future, they may want to consult historical lessons.