Assigned Blog

[4Lindsey]

Dictionary definition of a "failed state": a state percieved as having failed at basic responsibilities of a government. Student friendly definition: a government wherein upon the participants fail to realize the bigger picture, or the smaller details, and the government falls apart. So basically, it's just what the name says; a state (government) that fails.The first article we read (about Somalia, among other countries) was about how and why some government had failed in history. Sometimes because a country has resources, and sometimes because they don't have resources. Sometimes because of a natural disaster, or a dictator, or government parties that lie to their people and lose control over their land, and war. Examples are : Iraq (war, resources, and loss of control), Somalia (geographical issues, etc.) and several African countries with similar issues. Above all of the reasons, you can really tell when a government becomes a failed state by looking at the people of the country.The second article (also about Somalia and co.) is partially about the life a young Somali man named Mohammed; how he and most of his generation grew up, what he does now, and why he does it. He is 18 years old, doesn't go to school, is a fisherman (both for a living and simple survival), and many of his friends are now dead because of the civil war Somalia has been undergoing since his birth. Civil war is only one part of the problem Somalia faces: Geographically, Somalia is very dry, which causes residents to feud over water an other resources.Tribal rivals can't let go of their pasts, so previous forms of government have failed due to their fighting and disregard for rules; the people don't especially like being told what to do. :Pirates, terrorists, and anti-government groups plague Somalia's current form of government, making is all the more likely to fail. Sadly, the people in Somalia have grown so used to everyday violence and mayhem, they hardly know what a good government looks like anymore. However many governments the people try to set up (with good intentions, of course), they always seem to fail in one way or another, and eventually they all fall apart.For the first article, I think i understand the basics. Governments can fail for a number of reasons, and then they are hard to get under control again. It's totally plausible. For the second paragraph...i think if the people of Somalia just figured things out for themselves, and stopped fighting for just a minute, they could work something out and gradually improve it. Of course, that opinion is very optimistic, from what I've read about that country.A map of Somalia; on the east coast of Africa; Somaliland is technically part of Somalia.Picture of Somali man looking out at ships on the Indian Ocean; he is holding a gun.

[Mr. Bruns]

Very well done!!