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Real, Fake and Failed States:
Where Does Pakistan Stand?
In its recent publication, US Foreign Policy
magazine raised the issue of failed states.
The magazine put Pakistan on its list of
failed states at ninth position. A year ago, Pakistan was at
thirty fourth position, but now it moves it to ninth position,
which shows the perception of foreign intellectuals about
Pakistan.
First, determination of failing states as
failed states is not correct. A state should not be considered a
failed until it completely fails and dismembers. In recent
history, we may cite the examples of Soviet Union and Yugoslavia
as failed states. Both, Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, failed as
states thus vanished from the map of the world.
Instead of labeling ‘failing states’ as
‘failed states’ the states should be categorized as ‘real’,
‘fake’ and ‘failing’ states.
There are two criteria to judge whether a
state is a ‘real’, ‘fake’, ‘failing’ or failed state. And those
two criteria are: Economic and Political.
80 to 90% Real states have perfect political
and economic system. Real states have solid economic base which
easily takes care of its citizens’ economic needs through
controlled or free enterprise. Majority of the citizens of real
states have enough of economic opportunities to live prosperous
and happy life.
Real states also have functional, democratic
systems which reflect the power of their citizens over their
state apparatus. Final political arbitrators of real states are
their citizens. They democratically elect their representative
through fair and free elections who formulate and control state
policies on their behalf.
Keeping this criteria in mind, if we look at
different states around the globe there are no perfect real
states. Most of the states are in transition trying to achieve
the level of real states. Some of them are almost there, some
are little away and some haven’t started their journey as yet.
G-8 states, with the exception of Russia, are almost there.
Their economies are taking care of the economic needs of their
citizens. They are functional democracies.
In Pakistan’s neighborhood, India has strong
possibility to become a real state. Politically it is already
there. It has a functional democratic system which has stood the
tests of time. Economically, it is moving very fast to become a
real state. Once, it achieves the level of economic ease to
fulfill the economic needs of its citizens it will become a
model real state.
Comparative to India, economically China is
way ahead, but politically it is way behind. Until China starts
moving toward democracy, it will remain a state in transition
and it will not achieve the level of real state. India has
better chances of becoming a real state because it has already
achieved political maturity. To become a real state, all it
needs is to achieve economic level where its economy should take
care of the economic needs of its citizens.
As far Pakistan is concerned, it is not a
failed state as yet. It is still a fake state both economically
and politically. Pakistan’s economy is not taking care of its
citizens. Also, Pakistan does not have a viable democratic
political system. It has not started its journey towards
becoming a real state. Due to its dysfunctional economy and
political system, it is sliding downhill fast to become a failed
state.
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