The Collapse of the Somali State

Somalia is considered to be one of the most unstable regions in the world. It is one of the most prominent and prime examples of a failed state with its long history of violence, military coups, and extrajudicial killings; as a result there has been no legitimate control over the country for decades (Silva, M. 2010, p.557). The reasons for the instability are rooted in the colonization of African territories. Colonization according to Ocheni and Nwankwo (2012) is the “direct and overall domination of one country by another” (p.46). Through conquering their political, economic, cultural, social systems and through enslavement, they were able to control the flow of wealth into Europe (Ocheni and Nwankwo. 2012, p.49). Although British/Italian colonization brought inequalities and exploitation to parts of Africa, it also created a stable structure in the form of domination (Ocheni and Nwankwo. 2012, p.48). This type of authority prevented different factions from engaging in armed conflict over who should rule Somalia. However, colonization created boundaries without taking into account religion, race and ethnicities, which, consequently, created tensions between different groups within Somalia.   Subsequently, with the flight of colonial power in the 1960s, these groups began to fight amongst one another and destabilized the entire state (Ocheni and Nwankwo. 2012, p. 47). During the post-decolonization era, Somalia’s leader was eventually overthrown by opposing clans, and the state fell into a period of lawlessness and constant warfare. This has led the country into a conflict that saw 300,000 people dying from starvation due to the famine caused by the opposing militias (Freedom House, 2003). This essay will argue that the consequences of decolonization, such as the downfall of the central government, and opposing clan warfare, have led to the collapse of the state of Somalia. Moreover, the lack of international presence, and lawlessness have made the country...