Falling States and Weak Governments

Misuse can lead to violence, violence to disruption, disruption to corruption, corruption to forced migration, and forced migration to poverty! All over the world, developed countries see the approaching threat of poverty and problems in less-developed countries. While the UN worries about countries were terrorism thrives due to weak or non-existent governments, the EU sees that bordering countries that are engaged in violent conflict pose a threat. Regardless of individual worries, the overall opinion is the same; the need for immediate action.

While the main problems in these unstable countries are suffering, poverty and lack of security, the causes of these problems, such as unstable economies/governments or terrorism, are the ones to really deal with. Other questions to ask oneself are 'where are the problems?' and 'who is affected?' Robert Cooper explains the world in his book "The Breaking of Nations". In this he divides the world into three zones: pre-modern regions of chaos, areas successfully ruled by modern nation-states, and 'postmodern' co-operation (this is where national sovereignty is voluntarily dissolved). Other strategists see the 'falling states' as a particular threat, for the people living there, but since 9/11 also to the entire world. Examples of such collapsing states are Somalia, or Afghanistan.

Another issue is the weak governments within certain counties. Where a weak government doesn’t take action to issues such as smuggling of arms or drugs, more drastic problems and conflicts arise that the government is incapable of solving or dealing with. Weak civil-institutions in Sierra Leone or Liberia have helped fuel the outbreak of civil wars, alongside with the problems of 'blood diamonds'. But these countries aren't the only ones in trouble.

According to the Brooklyn Institution, which drew up a plan of weak countries, there are three 'failed states' in our world so far. These states, Somalia, DR Congo and Afghanistan, are accompanied by 20 other critically weak states that desperately need foreign help. The origins of these falling states can be drawn back to colonizers, who simply divided the country, split tribes or ethnic groups, drew up problematic borders-and then left. With no one to govern or solve the conflicts, civil wars break out. A second big origin is the end of the Cold War, which turned out quite negative for certain countries.

In our lives today, the arising issue is that the problems in these 'falling states' do not stay within the country’s borders, but also affect developed countries. Groups such as Al Qaeda might train within its countries borders, but its actions dominantly affect the USA or Europe. Certainly help from developed countries would better the situation. Not enough action has been taken, but maybe the effects of these falling states on the West will open some eyes, and lead to more action.

Failed states

Fixing a broken world

Jan 29th 2009
From The Economist print edition