Somalia: Economy Without StateIn the wake of the collapse of the Somali government in 1991, a "second" or "informal" economy based on trans-border trade and smuggling is thriving. While focusing primarily on pastoral and agricultural markets, Peter D. Little demonstrates that the Somalis are resilient and opportunistic and that they use their limited resources effectively. While it is true that many Somalis live in the shadow of brutal warlords and lack access to basic health care and education, Little focuses on those who have managed to carve out a productive means of making ends meet under difficult conditions and emphasizes the role of civic culture even when government no longer exists. Exploring questions such as, Does statelessness necessarily mean anarchy and disorder? Do money, international trade, and investment survive without a state? Do pastoralists care about development and social improvement? This book describes the complexity of the Somali situation in the light of international terrorism. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 35
The economy as recorded in official government and World Bank reports probably reflected no more than 30 percent of the real economy of Somalia in the 1980s . And that is an important reason why unlike other African countries , where ...
When I visited the project area in 1987 its remnants were hardly visible - a few firebreaks and old fences – nor fondly remembered by local communities . With World Bank financing of about US $ 10 million another ill - fated attempt at ...
As Ellis points out in the case of Liberia , the presence of an internationally acknowledged state does not mean that government treasuries and national banks can be any more trusted to guarantee transactions than elsewhere : ' the ...
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - thewalkinggirl - LibraryThingArgues that despite political, social, and environmental instability, the Somali society and economy have survived. The author focuses on the Somali borderlands adjacent to Kenya, comparing that ... Read full review