True watershed moments in democratic polities are those for which there can be no redress; only fallout. These are usually instances when elites act so wantonly that they incinerate trust in the democratic process itself, calling into question the legitimacy of the whole regime.
Tho it was not a democratic regime, the end of the Yugoslav federation was sealed on Jan. 22 1990 when the Slovene delegation walked out of the 14th Congress of the League Communists. But the fighting in YUG didn’t start until June 1991. The die is cast ahead of the eruption.
In periods of genuine, existential political crisis you can count the number of off ramps on one hand. And they decrease sharply w/ time & increased polarization. Anyone not already completely consumed by sectarian vitriol can see what they are — and when they’ve been passed.
At some point, responsible women & men in govt have to look deep inside of themselves & think not “how do I win this one for my side?” but “how do I keep this society from imploding in on itself w/ rage & disillusionment?” Because some roads you can’t walk back up again. /x
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