Sanctuary or Ungoverned Spaces:identification, symptoms and responses

[Bob's World]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Failed_state

There is a lot of talk these days about "Failed States."

The first question I've been mulling around in my head is:

1. Is this something that we really need to be concerned about, or are "failed states" simply a fact that is having unwarranted concerns attached to it by well meaning individuals seeking answers to complex issues who simply don't understand the nature of the problems we face?

For example, look at the definition of a failed state as provided in Wikipedia. By this definition, the Sioux Indian Tribe as it lived and dominated the northern plains of the current United States for some 100 + years was a "failed state." As, apparently, are most all tribal based governments.

There is no one leader who can speak for all, concepts of borders and control of terrain within those borders are completely inconsistent with Western, Westphalian concepts of what a proper state should look like, etc.

So my second question is this:

2. Are we dealing with a rash of failed states that must be "fixed" to prevent greater problems, or, are we merely seeing how the tools of globalization are enabling populaces whose concept of government was originally rooted in tribalism to reject the western concepts of borders and "proper" government that were forced upon them?

This is something that we need to talk about. Woven into it are concepts of "sanctuary" (is sanctuary something found in "ungoverned spaces or is it more accurately something found within some legal status, often provided by a border, or perhaps within a poorly governed populace?) or of "effectiveness of governance" (Does insurgency happen because governments suck at providing the services that westerners expect from their governments? or does insurgency arise from a place higher and less tangible on Mr. Maslow’s hierarchy in the realm of "respect" and what could better be described as perceptions "poor" governance coupled with no available means to resolve short of conflict?)

I, for one, believe that "failed states" are a natural evolution of governance for our times, and that it is the West that needs to learn finally how to engage with tribal constructs, and not simply default to forcing the tribes to look, dress, pray, and act just like us. We've gotten away with that for a couple hundred years, but I believe that era is over. Let’s instead help these populaces to operate within the terms of their own governmental constructs. Not only is it likely to be better received, but it is also likely to do a far better job of dealing with problems like "sanctuary" and "insurgency."