The failure of many states to provide a functioning central government suggests that not all nations can or should have states. However, the breakdown of the state is not just a result of the aspirations of nations to statehood. Rather, the failure of states to provide adequate government for the nations, tribes, and sects within its boundaries is as much a failure of state philosophy as it is of sectarian strife. Ironically, the emphasis on stability over democracy has led directly to the inability of states to govern adequately. …
