vulnerable to natural disaster, difficult to provide relief  (Haiti, 2004)
     civil war is very bad for health  Congo-2006
 

third world health crisis -- WHO report Dec. 2003
malaria -- worse than tsunami | mosquito nets, worms
trachoma | schistosomiasis/bilharzia | Guinea worm

1. Historical Background:
Colonialism and Decolonialization created "artificial," weak states states, detached from society
        Exceptions (more or less):
             (China, Japan, Thailand, Ethiopia, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt,  Iran)

National Independence Movements created a temporary, confusing appearance of "national" unity.

       a. Decolonialization created "autonomous" "artificial" states, not linked to society
               Pre-existing political social structures weakened

        b. no congruence between "state" and "nation"

        c. no tradition of western style democracy
             traditional governance based on kinship, lineage

        d. states were weak, with little power or control over citizens
             especially weak tax collecting (relied on export duties), border control, policing on crime,
                large areas of the country may be outside government control

        e. great economic problems:
          i. domestic poverty
          ii. challenging international economic system

     f. weak "civil society"   non state organizations:
             interest groups, trade unions, professional associations,
             student groups, churches, media
             few/no integrating, trans-national  organizational structures

      g. weak constraints on state power.
                "Civil society, in short, functions as the citizens' curb on the power of the state."
                    Without civil society, there aren't many constraints.
 

     Civil society is
         - strong in the west, where society created the state
         - weak in post colonial societies, where state tried to create society.
         - weak in Africa, Middle East
             fragmentation linked to ethnic tensions, political strife
         - some strength in Asia
             pre-colonial social groupings still have some power
         - Latin America has strong trade unions, religions
             Bureaucratic-Authoritarian (BA) regimes, 1964-76
             "distinct separation between state and civil society
         - managed to emerge partially under communism
             important in collapse of communism in Eastern Europe

h. (WEAK) HYPOTHESIS
        The more artificial a state is, the less domestic support is has.
        To maintain stability, it is more likely to resort to:
                appeals to tribalism (or nationalism to overcome tribalism)
                patrimonialism (corruption)
                dictatorial rule, often military rule
                violence, repression of political opponents, mass arrests and murders
                foreign military and economic support.

h. State supported by foreign states and/or commercial activities
                        - eg: extensive payoffs/cooperation between mining and military in Indonesia
                        - attempt to control Chad's use of petroleum money

    - Burma, role of gas, timber exports

    i. Can civil society be "developed" by external aid?
         - there were programs to strengthen civil society in communist and post communist
     systems.
 

2. Development can bring instability and political decay (Huntington) Reports on current conflicts

Social mobilization outruns political organization
Repression needed for economic growth (O'Donnell)
Need strong, one-party (or military) state

3. Resulting Political Forms

     a. Democracy tried, seemed easy, generally failed
                Most democratic: Trinidad, Bahamas, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Brazil,
                        India, South Korea Taiwan
     b. traditional kinship relations too narrow, restrictive
     c. Standard Solution: "Clientelism"  "patron client relations"
         exchange relationship between unequals

                favors, connections, bribes, corruption, nepotism
                 not law, not ideology

          Patrons have power and resources, need labor and votes
          Clients are poor, precarious, need work and protection

          Politicians/officials may support some officials and business men in exchange
          for payment (aka corruption)

Can easily result in self perpetuating, self serving elitist states: Central America, Mid East, N. Africa
Transparency International monitors Political corruption
top ranking kleptocrats, India: petty corruption, Nigeria: major league corruption
gov't inefficiency, and repression are endemic to much of the developing world.  example: Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe

     d. secessionist tendencies
          ethno/religious/cultural reasons
          economic: local leaders want more power and bigger share of natural wealth
                    The curse of wealth, cherchez l'petro in Nigeria, Iraq
          international actors eager to help:
                  -weaken rival state
                  -obtain strategic allies
                  -cheaper access to natural wealth

            civil wars and genocide in Sudan

      e. extensive domestic violence
                -- young, angry, unemployed men
                            scources:   weak economic growth, few available jobs
                                             public health measures create demographic bulge
                            results:    gangs, protection schemes, violent rivalries
                                children armies/gangs (the perfect weapon)

                -- brutal leaders, seeking power and wealth

 Charles Taylor (Liberia, Sierra Leonne)
Lord's Resistance Army (Uganda)

Sometimes they may rely on private police/mercenary companies such as
Executive Outcomes, Blackwater
        used to protect foreign mines, investments, supress gangsters, warlords
        can be involved in coups (both creating and stopping)
        related links 1 | 2 | 3

examples:
        Zaire/Congo (sad story of decay of a rich, corrupt country)
        Liberia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia
        compact example: Manipur (NE corner of India)
 

 
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