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Failed States
Failed states can no longer perform basic functions such as education, security, or governance, usually due to fractious violence or extreme poverty. Within this power vacuum, people fall victim to competing factions and crime, and sometimes the United Nations or neighboring states intervene to prevent a humanitarian disaster. However, states fail not only because of internal factors. Foreign governments can also knowingly destabilize a state by fueling ethnic warfare or supporting rebel forces, causing it to collapse.
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Articles
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Failed and Collapsed States in the International System (December 2003)
This report suggests failed and collapsed states are a structural trait of the contemporary international system, and not a “temporary dysfunction of the Westphalia inter-state order.” It argues these structural anomalies produce tensions in the international system, with serious consequences for developed and developing nations alike. (The African Studies centre, Leiden; The Transnational Institute, Amsterdam; The Center of Social Studies, Coimbra University, and The Peace Research Center – CIP-FUHEM, Madrid)
The article focuses on the effectiveness of human rights and international humanitarian law when the state fails, with special attention to the UN Security Council. (International Committee of the Red Cross)2008
How a Tiny West African Country Became the World’s First Narco State (March 9, 2008)
Guinea-Bissau, the world’s 5th poorest country according to the UN’s development index, has become the first African “narco-state.” Ravaged by war in the 90s, Guinea-Bissau failed as a state and consequently became an ideal scene for drug traffickers. The rule of law barely exists, there are no prisons and the government remains corrupt. Colombian drugbarons take advantage of the country’s weakness, moving their usual drug trafficking channels from Latin America to the West African coast. (Guardian)Iraq: An Example of a Collapsed State (February 21, 2008)
In this article, the author argues that the “misdirected policies” of the US have turned Iraq into a collapsed state. He emphasizes that a “collapsed” state differs from a “failed” state in that its coercive powers are decentralized into the hands of different ethnic and religious groups which triggers power struggles and civil war. In addition, a collapsed state is an easy target for occupation by an “imperialist state.” (Zaman)Building a Failed State? (February 14, 2008)
International donors are providing money to UN agencies and NGOs in Afghanistan rather than giving financial aid to the public sector. This article argues that by promoting “small government,” donors are hindering the reconstruction of the country. At the same time donors force the country to rely on market mechanisms to access food by refusing grain subsidies, a move that could trigger starvation among the poor. The author adds that several rebuilding African countries also suffer from this “donor dogmatism” and are consequently unable to provide stability to their peoples. (Guardian)Index of State Weakness in the Developing World (February 2008)
The Brookings Institution’s Index of State Weakness ranks 141 developing countries on the basis of four critical state abilities: economic growth, political institutions, security and social welfare. According to their score, the countries are divided into groups from “failed states,” “critically weak states,” “weak states” to “states to watch.” The report illustrates several trends such as extreme insecurity in failed states and the link between extreme poverty and weak states.2007
The Dismantling of Yugoslavia (October 2007)
This Monthly Review article tells the story of a dismantled Yugoslavia, where not only internal problems, but also external political pressure, especially from the US, tore the country apart. According to the article, the US - acting through NATO - legitimized the military interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo by calling them “humanitarian interventions.” At the time, the Security Council did not approve the interventions, but it later provided the US with an ex post facto legitimacy. The authors argue that Western media and politicians have simplified the history of the Balkan civil wars, portraying the wars as a battle between good and evil, while neglecting the role and interests of the US.The Failure and Collapse of the African State: On the Example of Nigeria (September 2007)
J.E. Akuda, associate researcher at FRIDE, discusses how African states can avoid failure and collapse. European nation-building took centuries, but African countries gained independence only a few decades ago and will need more time to “mature.” More importantly, they will have to increase their internal revenues and reduce their reliance on external aid to create economic development. According to the author, this includes mainly raising taxes to create dependence of the government on the population instead of reliance on foreign donors.Age Structure and the Failed States Index (July 2007)
Population Action International finds that countries with younger age structures score “high” on the annual failed states index of 2007. Although countries with a youthful population generally have great potential for development, they often lack social services, which make them vulnerable to conflict. PAI encourages policymakers to “invest in the well-being of young people.”Iraq Rises Up Failed States Index (June 19, 2007)
The US Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace ranks Iraq as second in the failed states index of 2007. Only Sudan is less stable, with “bleeding borders” creating a spill-over to neighbouring countries. In total, eight of the ten most unstable states are located in Africa. Countries such as Liberia, Russia and China obtained a better place on the list thanks to their growing economies. (BBC)Failure Is Not an Option (June 10, 2007)
If rich countries keep neglecting their development aid obligations to the world’s failed states, they not only contribute to “unspeakable human suffering,” they also risk increasing future conflicts. The article argues that in Burundi, conflict and corruption have prevented the government from carrying out its duties for many years, but with the democratic elections in 2005, the country could finally “emerge from fragility.” The authors maintain, however, that Burundi must be able to count on the financial support of donor governments, pointing out that a recent aid conference raised only half the amount needed. (Guardian)The Latin American State: “Failed” or Evolving? (May 2007)
In this essay, Laura Tedesco, Associate Fellow at FRIDE, criticizes the notion of “failed states” because it all too often refers to countries that the US considers a threat to its national security. The author argues that state formation is a complex historical process. For example, Latin American countries have been evolving from authoritarianism to democracy since the 1990’s. Although a few privileged social groups hold most of the power in Latin America, this does not mean state failure.2006
Sudan Tops "Failed States Index" (May 2, 2006)
Due to the violent and destabilizing crisis in Darfur, Sudan was ranked the most failed state, according to the 2006 “Failed States Index.” Based on 12 criteria such as economic inequality and decline, human flight and displacement, and fragmented political power, the index ranks 146 nations according to their viability as states. Countries facing civil war and insecurity, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, and Iraq joined Sudan at the top of the list, while Norway, Sweden, and Finland ranked as the least failed states. (BBC)Fragile Countries and United Nations Reform (February 23, 2006)
Many UN Reform proposals deal specifically with the topic of fragile states, including the Peacebuilding Commission, global democracy fund and responsibility to protect (R2P). R2P however is a sensitive subject that raises “thorny issues” of sovereignty, proportionality and the extent of military action. Commentators raise concerns that reform of UN bodies leads to a system that could support an “empire-like” approach. Moreover UN failure can lead to further instability. (Bangkok Post)Iraq's Election Aftermath Reveals a Failed State (January 5, 2006)
According to Power and Interest News Report, the fragmentation of power, an ongoing insurgency, high levels of unemployment and a lack of basic services are all the markings of a failed state. Based on early results from the December 15 parliamentary elections, Iraq lacks a coherent political class and a functioning civil government may not emerge. Rather than marking the transition to democracy, Iraq’s elections “were the opening shot of an intensified conflict” that has revealed a failed Iraqi state.2005
The Failure of States (September 9, 2005)
Most accounts of state failure tend to focus on the absence of power and the erosion of sovereignty as the primary indicators of a “failed state.” However, as this article from Mother Jones demonstrates, state failure is sometimes the product of authoritarian rule and the concentration of power within a centralized government.Interim Government Starts Relocation (June 13, 2005)
Facing pressure from Nairobi and Western diplomats, Somalia's Transitional Federal Government has begun relocating to Somalia from Kenya, where it has been based since its formation in 2004. The interim government has announced plans to move to Somalia on many prior occasions, but a regional analyst believes that "they seem serious this time around." Whether the government succeeds depends largely on its ability to secure Mogadishu and convince its many warlords to disarm. Somalia has lacked a central government since 1991. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)The Challenge of Piecing Together a "Failed State" (March 12, 2005)
According to Congres Panafricain (COPAN), a Congolese pressure group, "Congo is a failed state - its internal structures are very weak." Chair of COPAN Yves Kamangu believes that decentralization can solve Congo's poor governance: "once [the Congolese people] have organized themselves, they should exercise self-rule before, voluntarily, coming together to form the greater Congo." Such a solution, however, raises concerns of secession - an inflammatory subject following the attempted breakaway of south-western Katanga province in 1960. (Inter Press Service)Somalia: Don't Cross the Mogadishu Line (February 9, 2005)
The International Crisis Group (ICG) warns that the decision of African regional organizations to send troops to Somalia "risks destabilizing Somalia's fragile transitional institutions and jeopardizing the peace process." The Somali transitional government is deeply divided over any foreign military deployment, and several Somali leaders and groups threaten to oppose any such intervention by force.The Perilous Chaos of Forgotten Somalia (January 31, 2005)
Somalia risks becoming "a patchwork of mini-states, some of which increasingly resemble areas of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan or insurgent-patrolled Iraq." To prevent further disintegration, the country needs a functioning government. But this will not happen without focused support from the US and Europe. Neither appear interested. (Daily Star)Archived Articles
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