Somalia: Economy Without StateInternational African Institute, 2003 - 206 pages In 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
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... chapter has presented the Somalia case in the context of wider debates about statelessness and informal economies . In subsequent chapters the book will return to many of these themes , particularly as they relate to other African cases ...
... Chapter 7 ) . The El Nino floods of 1997-8 are another catastrophic shock that high- lights both the uncertain nature of pastoral food security and the key role of cross - border trade ( see Chapter 2 ) . In this case , the example is ...
... Chapter 3 are dramatic instances of fission ( see Chapter 3 ) . Although Somalia's decentralized political structures draw on the segmentary clan idiom , the society has not descended into barbaric lawlessness or tribalism , as some ...
Contents
Introduction to a stateless economy | 2 |
A land of livestock | 22 |
The destruction of ruralurban relations | 45 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown