failed state
nounEtymology Initially applied to Somalia in the 1990s.
1
Government, Politics A state that has failed to meet the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government; one that has lost physical control of its territory, the ability to provide public services, etc.
- Against these stand the four national security arguments for intervention: fear of a rogue state, fear of a failed state, fear for the neighbours and fear for ourselves.2011, Rory Stewart, “Here we go again”, in London Review of Books, 33.VII:
- In July, the prime minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, called Haiti a “failed state,” and told local media that Caribbean leaders are considering opening direct talks with Haitian gang leaders to solve the country’s political crisis.2022 September 16, Milo Milfort, Anatoly Kurmanaev, Andre Paultre, “Fuel Hike Plunges Haiti Into Near Anarchy”, in The New York Times, →ISSN: