Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Power Cut

Several newspapers, periodicals and other scholarly journals publish the results of The Fund for Peace's annual Failed (or Failing) State Index. The FSI is the best indicator of how a country stands realistically. Ignoring numbers like GDP/GNP and looking deeper into the core of what makes a country so great like access to health care, education, media information, adequate infrastructure as well as looking at things like violent crime and sustainability.

Surprisingly enough, several European and North American (yes, that includes you US) states have been listed in the 'moderate' failing category. The top failing state is Somalia (#1) where as Norway (#177) takes the top position. Out of the 177 countries evaluated, the United States comes in at number 161 and Germany at 155. Not too shabby.

I noticed however that the FSI doesn't measure decline in international influence as a measuring factor. I think that if that was measured by the FSI, the United States would most certainly be in the top five in sudden loss of power.

If you care to read the report you may do so here.

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