The Failed State Index, 2012 Taken From: Foreign Policy

What makes a country a “failed state?”

Definition of a “state.” Set of institutions that successfully create and implement policy over a specific geographic area. Monopoly on the use of force/violence within a defined territory. Institutions and government are sovereign. Strong Weak Failing Failed

Somalia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sudan

Chad

Zimbabwe

Failed States Index, 2012 Nigeria14 th Iran34 th 89.6 China76 th 78.3 Russia83 rd 77.1 Mexico98 th 73.6 UK158 th 35.3 U.S.159 th 34.8 Finland177 th 20.0

Failed States Methodology & U.S. Score Demographic Pressures3.3 Refugees and IDPs2.6 Group Grievance3.9 Human Flight/Brain Drain1.3 Uneven Economic Development5.1 Poverty and Economic Decline3.4 State legitimacy2.6 Public Services2.7 Human Rights/Rule of Law3.5 Security Apparatus1.9 Factionalized Elites3.6 External Intervention1.0

“Think Again: Failed States” Some can be helped if they are willing to be helped. – Ruthless leaders often prevent. Military intervention: sometimes appropriate. – Can remove despots. Some states were born to fail. – State boundaries drawn by imperialists (Africa). – Combine multiple ethnicities

“Think Again: Failed States” Imperialism and the West: sometimes a factor – Congo: Belgium brutalized people and stripped resources. – Afghanistan: victim of the Cold War Imperialism and the West: sometimes not – Haiti: 200 years since France – Iraq: Initially succeeded after colonization Some are ungoverned: Somalia (hapless) Some are misgoverned: Pakistan/Sudan – Self-destructive policies

Economic Development Strategies Import Substitution: – Stimulate domestic industries with tariffs and other trade barriers. – “substitute imports” with domestic goods. Structural Adjustment: – Integrate into global markets through globalization – Currently emphasized by World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Financial Institutions World Bank – Gives loans and grants to LDCs – Countries contributing the most have the most influence. International Monetary Fund – Promotes international monetary cooperation and currency stability. – Loans based on “conditionality.” Structural adjustment and other conditions.

THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 153 countries Emphasis on FREE trade Create and administer trade agreements.

Microcredit Lending and development strategy Small loans for citizens in LDCs. – Injects credit into struggling economy. – Originated in Bangladesh Grameen Bank (“rural bank”) – Overwhelmingly granted to women