Term Paper on "Failed"

Term Paper 7 pages (2918 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Rotberg 'failed nations'

ROTBERG (2002)

THE NEW NATURE OF A NATION-STATE FAILURE"

The reading which this works describes is the work of Robert I. Rotberg entitled "The New Nature of Nation-State Failure" published in the Summer 2002 issue of the Washington Quarterly. In this work Rotberg describes the nation-state giving the reader a close and dissected view of what occurs within the failed nation-state from the beginning and through each progressing stage of until its' ultimate state of failure is fully instituted and commences. Rotberg offers even further a view into the ultimate collapse following failure of the state. And as well Rotberg offers the reader a close and intimate view of what actually occurs and what the citizens undergo as the nation-state's failure plays out according to the lines written by a ruling elite class of powerful governing classes that have essentially taken over the country in a patriarchal and despotic rule.

The argument provided herein is that Rotberg is highly precise in his view of what comprises and results in the failing nation-state. Many variables for this nation-state failure are proposed by Rotberg such as the variable of healthcare system breakdown, or the demise of the educational system, or the breakdown of road building within the country or the case of the country whose GDP is witnessed steadily falling in growth with each passing year. In fact Rotberg considers several various variables that might be linked with the final state of failure on the part of a nation and yet in essence he still misses finer points of relevance.

SUMMARY

Rotberg states that failed nations are those whose internal conflicts have taken over and that these conflicts stem from racial, ethnic, religious and other separations within the community and within the communities that compose the failed nation state. Hostility and hate exists between the classes which stems from drivers that exist within the 'elite' or upper rich classes that exist and cites that it is through use of capitalist power rule and prey upon the citizens that these individuals hold their rule. Ruler led oppression is spoken of by Rotberg, speaking of patriarchal-type rule and the patronage-based system that is one of '"extraction' from ordinary citizens." (Rotberg, 2002)

Rotberg speaks of Zaire, Angola these types of oppressions were committed by those in rule which provoked among already resentful groups and newly emerged rebels. Growth of criminal violence is also cited by Rotberg as he relates as the authority of the state falls faint and in weakness failed with the criminal oppression of citizens and more transparency in the lawlessness playing out before the citizens with arms and trafficking of drugs becoming more linked and paralysis that occurs among the forces of appointed police offers and anarchy becomes more commonplace. Professional responsibility states Rotberg has been lost. Privatization of schools and the healthcare systems are privatized as well and breakdown occurs. Many of those who teach, heal receive late pay and then no pay with rises in absenteeism rate and there never being enough in essentials with ill-repaired medical machinery being in operation. In this failing state the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the '...privilege of making substantial amount of money when the rest is pure deterioration and starving of the poorer classes who live the real life of their own steady decline into destitution. The nation-state has no focus toward the advancement of all citizens and takes no responsibility toward such ends.

Rotberg states that a sure sign is decline in the nations GDP "gross domestic produce' with slim growth rates on a year-to-year basis and greater disparities witnessed between the poorer classes income and those who are in the 'ruling elite'. Inflation rates explode due to over printing of money by the high officials or the nation's central banking institution. Smuggling is mentioned by Rotberg as being increasingly commonplace and finally the completion of the failure of the state is marked by the falling out of favor by the local currency and international currencies replace the currency with moneychangers on every street corner, some legal and some not and arbitrage occurs daily within the feeding frenzy taking place upon the failed nation-state. In the best case scenario that has been barred by total disaster chaos rules the economics with food products becoming scarce and hunger throughout the failed nation-state even to the point of starving to death for some with following international humanitarian relief being sent to the nation-state. The citizens of these states are driven to 'endless migration' according to Rotberg. Not only the failing of the GDP and the monetary unit does failure occur in the nation state, it may also occur when it somehow loses its legitimacy.

When the rulers are working for themselves or a self-appointed common goal with other rulers in the state what may occur is the goal has become something other than actual 'state' goals but that 'other' decided goal or agenda and the disenfranchisement of many of those who are also within the 'ruling' or 'elected' group within the state 'administration' of power. Due to the problems of hunger and homelessness throughout the nation-state the citizens are not focused and community loyalties develop in clannish type groups who follow local leaders. Terror and anarchy are directly linked to the 'more marginalized' breakdowns that often occur in failed nation-states. Often warlords take over these places and states such as 'quasi-states in northern Somalia, specifically Somaliland where chaos prevails and anarchist entrepreneurs practice their trade in "networks of terror."

Rotberg asks the question of exactly what it takes to drive the failing nation to its' final collapse. He asks how far does the GDP have to fall, or how many roads provided is just one or two less than prior to a failure, or how badly neglected do the healthcare and educational systems have to become? Held up to view are the failed states of Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, the DREC, Liberia, sierra Leone and Sudan which according to Rotberg represented that which 'exemplified' the "criteria of state failure." Weak states are also held up to view by Rotberg who speaks of Haita, Colombia, and Indonesia as having failed yet not have collapsed and asked the question of "why did....these nation-states such as Somalia not stop at failure rather than collapsing? " does Rotberg however fixedly state the explicit criteria to answer his own question? In Sri Lanka he states there has been civil war ongoing for approximately 19 years with the rebel faction or the liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are called a 'Tamil separatist insurgency' and who have been in control of 15% of the total land mass composing Sri Lanka at times and have managed to assassinate prime minister, bomb presidents and kill rivals as well as destroy the civil aviation terminal and main air force base of Sri Lanka.

The government of Sri Lanka has not yet stamped out the rebellion thereby rendering the nation-state of Sri Lanka weak however in 80% of Sri Lanka the government performs well with good economic performance and the authority of the governments extending to 80% of the people Sri Lanka. Another country described is Indonesia who is also called weak by Rotberg. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation in the world with many different hotspots in the world being of their roots of religion.

Rotberg makes an important point which is that nation-state failure is not accidental, it is intention and it is not necessarily due to geographic factors, or factors of economics or of the environment and it is not due to external forces. Rotberg precisely states that "leadership decisions and leadership failures have destroyed states and continue to weaken the fragile politics that operate on the cusp of failure." This is a brilliant and precise observation by Rotberg. Rotberg cites the rich state of Angola who nevertheless fails because the government is not allowed by the president, Eduardo dos Santos to deliver basis necessary services to the citizens. The President of Zimbabwe has the country to the very place of destruction without crossing the final line and reached failure. Corruption runs rampant with foreign exchange being "squandered and pocketing of resources, domestic and international investment being greatly discouraged he has "subverted the courts" and driven the citizens to starvation. Likewise Mohammed Siad Barre has stolen power and kept privilege among his own family or 'clan' while the state of Somalia is falling into failure and then into full collapse.

Rotberg moves on to the subject of prevention of such state failure call it much easier than a revival once having failed or collapsed in a destructive manner. Long and expensive are the call words that Rotberg assigns to revival of a country after such as state of failure and collapse has been reached. Creation of security, administrative structure, a bureaucracy and location of funds are the steps taken in the first effort of revival of a collapsed state along with establishment… READ MORE

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