Scholar who wrote entire book on failed nations warns 'US institutions are coming apart at the seams'

A scholar who wrote an entire book on why nations fail is warning that the United States is now in a very dangerous place -- just eight years after believing the country was in a stable situation.

Speaking with NPR, MIT economist Daron Acemoglu said that no American should take living in a constitutional republic for granted after seeing supporters of President Donald Trump storm the United States Capitol building earlier this month.

"U.S. institutions are really coming apart at the seams — and we have an amazingly difficult task of rebuilding them ahead of us," he said. "This is a perilous time."

Back in 2012, Acemoglu co-authored a book with University of Chicago economist James Robinson called "Why Nations Fail," which at the time argued that the United States was an example of an enduring republic because its institutions were based on Enlightenment ideals and produced "a haven for immigrants, new ideas, and new business models."

By 2020, however, it's become clear that the United States faces massive problems when it comes to economic and social inequality, most notably between Americans who have colleges degrees and those who lack college education.

"Asked how we can stop our slide into national dysfunction, Acemoglu argues political leaders need to focus on those who've been left behind, and give them a leg up and a stake in the system," writes NPR. "He advocates for a 'good jobs' agenda, which envisions policy changes and public investments to create, naturally, good jobs and shared prosperity."