failed states

A failed state is a political body that has disintegrated to a point where basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government are no longer functioning properly causing the society to lose standards of living and weaken nationally introducing the possibility of governmental collapse. The Fund for Peace characterizes a failed state as having the following characteristics:

• Loss of control of its territory, or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force therein
• Erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions
• Inability to provide public services
• Inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community

Common characteristics of a failing state include a central government so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory and there is a non-provision of public services. When this happens widespread corruption and criminality, the intervention of non-state actors, the appearance of refugees and the involuntary movement of populations, and sharp economic decline can occur.

A failed state is a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government.